Johnson Family Week

We were really lucky to have my parents come down for a few days the second week in April. My mom actually came a few days prior and stayed at the house, then we met Dad and Emily in Sacramento for a fun weekend of playing together! 

Of course the first thing we had to do when Grandpa came was get donuts...is there anything else?

Kenzie was so funny, she is definitely in Stranger Danger mode right now, and refused to take a donut from Grandpa. She actually took it from my mom just fine, but then held on to it and didn't eat it for about half an hour. I think she was just tired and in shock, not ready to face the day yet, even if we were force-feeding her cinnamon sugar donuts.

I love this picture of O just because it looks like a little kid. So often she looks (and acts and speaks) so much older than she is, so to see this face of pure joy on my 5-year-old is quite a treat.

Kenzie, hanging on to her donut with Grandma. I love this picture of the two of them!

After that healthy morning snack, we headed into the Sacramento Train Museum, which was a great way to spend the morning. They had SO many trains to explore inside and out, and had a lot set up as they would run in the past or run currently. The kids and I have only been on a Bart train before, so they were really excited to learn about people sleeping on the train or eating on the train. It's hard for them to imagine being on one for more than an hour or so :).

After the museum, we walked around Old Town Sacramento and explored. Our favorite spots were the HUGE (3+ floor) costume shop and the Balsamic Vinegar store. I think you could find any costume supply you needed in this store, it was majorly impressive. 

After some shopping, we saw a carriage ride and couldn't resist. We rode in style all around Old Sacramento, and had our usual mix of excitement and trepidation from the kids.

It was a really full day for the kiddos, so we headed over to Auntie Em's to decompress for the evening and play games. Makenzie made her own game with Grandma's sunglasses, she was totally hamming it up and loving all the attention.

After a few hours of fighting sleep, we got all the kids to sleep at Auntie Em's house so the grownups could play a couple games. Alex came up after work so spend the night and the next day with us, and after trying some Balsamic Vinegar Smoothies and losing a few games, it was time to drag 3 sleeping kids to the hotel for some sleep.

The next day was Picnic Day at UC Davis, and was our main reason for heading up. It started with a parade at 9:30, so we thought we would have a hard time getting kids up, fed, and dressed after their long night. Much to our surprise (and dismay) we had all 3 kids awake by 6:30, with plenty of time to enjoy a hotel breakfast and get dressed before the parade. For the first couple hours it seemed like the kids were going to have more energy than us, but they crashed pretty early in the day, and all wanted to ride in the stroller by noon.

Our funniest description of the parade came from Olivia, talking to her friends the next week. She was all excited about her trip, but said, 'the parade was pretty good, there was LOTS of bikes, but no candy. So many bikes, too many to count!' Davis is known as a biking city, and the parade was a great representation of that. There was cool old-fashioned bikes, fancy bike contraptions that did other things, and lots of bike clubs. It seems like there is a bike club for everyone!

After the parade we grabbed a quick fair-style lunch before heading over to watch Auntie Em dance. I'm always impressed by her dancing ability; it's a skill I admire and accept that I will never have. This venue was because it was very casual, and we were able to be up close and personal with the dancers, which meant seeing all their facial expressions. It was great!

After the performance the dancers gave a quick swing lesson, so I got to see my dad dance :). It's always fun to see Dad stretch his comfort zone, and he was a great sport. I know I was that creepy stalker recording the entire thing with a grin on my face, but I loved it.

Dad and Mom even gave me a quick demonstration so I could get a video of them dancing together too :)

When we were looking at the schedule of events, duck and geese herding seemed like a must see :). There was a lot of animal events, including agility runs, herding, and frisbee competitions. We only caught the tail end of geese herding, but it was fun to watch the dogs herd sheep as well. This was the point that all the kids were completely done. Alex had to leave around 1, and by 2 we were all headed out. The kids were totally void of energy, and Carter even pulled out his belly button, which is a sure sign of nap-time.

We couldn't head for home without a quick treat, so we drove downtown and got some yummy ice cream. My mom got this great hand-holding picture...my favorite!

We had such a great time with family over the weekend, and the kids wanted it to continue indefinitely. Luckily for us, we only had 4 days until Alex's family was coming to town, so we had just enough time to get some extra rest, catch up on laundry, and make plans for another exhaustingly-amazing weekend.

Here are a few highlights for the weekdays between family visits.

Kenzie got her first half pony! We always do the same 2 or 3 hair styles, but this morning she was particularly engrossed in her teeth-brushing (the standard hair-doing activity for her while she sits on the bathroom counter) so we tried something new. She just looks so grown up! It also caused a slight problem because the pony wasn't on the standard side and she had a hard time twirling it while she was going to sleep.

My standard attire has changed into Alex's basketball shorts and a huge shirt when we're home, and leggings when we're out, so when I actually got dressed one day, I had to make sure to take a belly bump picture. This is right around 33.5 weeks with baby #4.

Carter and I have really enjoyed our solo time while Olivia is at school and Kenzie is napping in the morning. Some days he plays independently, but he really prefers to be with Mom, so he's often stuck helping me clean or organize whatever the daily project is. We also try to do regular preschool-type activities to start learning all the letters and their sounds. He's really picking them up, but is a total goof when it comes to demonstrating his knowledge. I'm always wondering if he retains anything we learn because his personality is so different from O, but he's still hearing me even if he's jumping off the couch or Hulk-Smashing the laundry piles :).

Olivia got her spring pictures from school...

The day that Grandma and Grandpa and Ashley were to arrive was just TOO exciting, so I took the younger kids to the park to get some energy out. They were just cute as they ran around, so I took a million pictures as usual :).

Carter loves this silly spinning thing (which I get SO nervous about...I don't want throwing up kids!) but whenever I try to take pictures of his awesome face, I end up with a dozen of his bum instead.

At one point I was sitting on the bench watching the kids and M came to sit with me. I'm not even joking when I say this is the 'conversation' we had:
Me: 'Kenzie, can you smile for Mom?'
Kenzie: - that face -

Me: 'Kenzie, can you smile so I can send a picture to Daddy?'
Kenzie: - that face -

Can you tell which parent is her favorite? She actually refuses to let me get her out of bed regularly, which really causes a problem when he's not home. One day I argued with her for 10 minutes with her smashed into the far corner of the crib (which I can no longer reach, thanks to a rapidly growing belly) demanding Dad, and me trying to convince her to come out of bed until Daddy gets home...

Not to be worried though, I still get amazing smiles from this girl all the time. She is such a fun, easy-going kid, who seems to go along with our craziness without a problem. It's so fun to watch her grown and learn, and to hear all of the new words and interests every week.

April Springtime Fun!

April got a little interesting in our house. The third trimester of this pregnancy has been one to forget. Starting at the very end of March, #4 has been resting on a very important vein, and has prevented my brain from getting proper blood flow. Because of this, depending on his position, some days I am unable to stand for more than a couple minutes without blacking out and then losing consciousness. We started spending a lot more time at home, and my house cleaning/cooking/parenting has been virtually nonexistent. 

That being said, kids are still kids and we have continued to have milestones, cute moments, and fun times. Most of my pictures are taken from a chair or couch, but I try to be around as much as possible, and Alex has been a super hero with the cleaning. He never complains about mac-n-cheese or spaghetti for dinner (again), and does most of bedtimes, nighttime cleaning, and everything he can to help.

We have regular visits from the cutest Spiderman around :)

Makenzie has been growing and learning so much. I couldn't help but take a picture when I turned around after getting dressed and she was happily playing peek-a-boo with herself in the mirror.

Hair chalk has added a whole new dimension to our school hair-dos. O has new ideas almost daily, and I can get away with anything day-old or super messy as long as it's pink or purple!

I had my first mean mom moment with Kenzie this week. She is totally attached to her 'melmo' and 'woof woof'. She carries them around with her, sleeps with them, and always wants them at the table. I am totally good with placing them on the table or counter to watch, but I don't let her put them on the tray...they just get too messy. One morning she was very insistent, and refused to get into her high chair without 'melmo'. After about 15 minutes of helping the other kids get through breakfast, she finally pouted her way over to me and gave me Elmo. I put him on the counter, her in her chair, and she ate breakfast with a scowl the entire time. That day and every day since, I have been really grateful for a new reader who loves to practice her skills. On days when Makenzie sleeps in, Olivia sits with her during breakfast and reads to her. This helps Makenzie be happy with company, and frees me up to do other morning things and not sit at the table for an hour.

The kids have been really into smoothies lately, and are getting a lion's share of their veggies that way. We still cook with veggies every day, but the kids all drink the smoothies with smiles and no bribing...I call that a win! This particular day, I threw all of the leftover veggies into the blender, and made a combination that I had a tough time with. I was the only one, however, who took a little longer drinking mine. The kids were quite happy with their broccoli, tomato, spinach and banana smoothie.

I still try to do learning activities with Carter while O is at school at least once a week. He's learning his letters and sounds, and is much happier with hands on activities than reading or anything that is sitting. During 'G' Day, we went outside, gave our grass a haircut, and used it to make a Green G covered in Grass. He actually made two of these and gave one to his good friend Grayson. I'm really proud of my sweet, happy kid.

After a few days of fighting, we went back to our happy kid with her 'guys' looking on during meal times. This is her 'cheese' face right now...I love it.

Sometimes during the first week in April, it gets into the mid-90s and you give up on life. Bring on the nugget ice and Otter Pops!

Makenzie has really gotten into reading lately, and found a magical place when she found Carter's ABC book. She turns through the entire book pointing out her Dada on every page. She also pointed out Dan the first day that she found it, and it melted my heart. We miss Amber's family every day, it's by far been the hardest thing about our move to California.

Here is a huge Carter milestone. He walked up to his music class by himself, knocked on the door, and went in without a second glance. He is my slow-to-adapt and more sensitive kid, so it's hard for him to leave me. This music class gives me hope for preschool camp this summer and then preschool in the fall. I will probably be the parent kissing my preschooler on the head and shutting the door as fast as possible, but hopefully he will adapt quickly.

Notice anything wrong with this picture? Besides, of course, the total jungle of a back yard and crazy mess on the craft table? This is the result of kids playing in the back yard right before we left for the morning, and Mom being in a rush to get out the door.  I was the last to come inside, and when O came to tell me that there was a bird in the house, I didn't believe her. She has a tendency, lately, to exaggerate stories and totally make stuff up for a reaction, I was determined not to give her the reaction she was looking for, so I totally ignored the statement and reminded her not to dump her shoes/backpack/jacket in the entryway as I was carrying in a bag of groceries and a toddler. I was quite surprised to walk into the living room and actually find that we had a friend in our house!

This is normally the kind of situation that I would just call Alex for and let him deal with. I consider myself a capable person, but I'm totally thrilled to hand over anything involving batteries, bugs, living creatures, or power tools to my wonderful husband. However, since he wasn't home, I had some fast thinking to do. The one thing I didn't want to deal with was bird poop in the house. Luckily our super old windows have unattached screens, so it only took a few minutes and a couple loud kids to coax the bird through the right window and back outside.

That spurred a living/breathing fad for the afternoon, and I had quite a few visits from happy kids holding mostly-alive bugs while they played outside. I'm glad they have curious hearts and are so excited about these things...they don't get it from me :).

When Dad gets home, we try to do something fun as a family or with him and the kids before bed because he leaves before they wake up in the morning. This particular evening, Dad and the kids did some Cosmic Kids Yoga (our favorite!) and made Spray Cheese creations, thanks to Grandpa Gary and the amazing Easter Box!

One of our kids was more tired than usual this night, looking back at the pictures I realize that I probably should have just taken her to bed. It was super cute to see her do all the yoga poses laying down though!

Even Dad gets in on the action! It's amazing how easy the kids make this stuff look, my and my huge belly don't even try this stuff anymore.

Makenzie liked the cheese just fine, but called it quits after 2 crackers. Smart girl.

Carter barely licked his before determining that he didn't like it, and I gave him a pass from the usual '3 bites per new food' rule in our house. Something about forcing fake cheese down his throat didn't seem necessary.

Olivia, on the other hand, loved the whole process. She helped her dad make the shapes and ate at least 15 Ritz with cheese that night. She is definitely the adventurous one!

And we learned that she has one of my most prestigious talents! As a kid I could do crazy things with my eyeballs and loved showing off my 'flutter. O is demonstrating some impressive eye-crossing in this picture while she tries to watch the giant spray cheese sandwich go into her mouth.

One day I volunteered to watch a couple of our favorite friends for the morning, and we did a school drop off so we had to fit everyone in the van. Unfortunately, all of our backup car seats are in Dad's car, and he forgot to get everything situated the night before (he took major flack and was totally apologetic after saying as I went to bed 'consider it done'). I was so glad that we had the new baby's carseat hanging out inside the house so that everyone could be legal when we took the kids to school. Kenzie totally didn't love the baby seat until I picked it up and swung her around, then she was doubly thrilled when she realized that she could talk to all the kids in the back while we drove.

Our evening was made quite a bit more exciting one night when there was an arrest made right in front of our hedge. The kids stared out the window for a full half hour while I tried to convince them to eat their dinner. Apparently the guy getting searched and handcuffed outside was more exciting than chili cheese dogs :). Olivia was so funny about it because she was SURE about everything as she watched it happen. Some of my favorite quotes were 'Mom, they are checking under his hat to make sure he doesn't have a gun there' and 'they have that big bag of garbage from his car because if you leave garbage in the car it can get stinky' She never asked why or what was happening, she just declared totally off-the-wall explanations for everything. Definitely a first, and hopefully a last for us!

I don't want to forget this phase that Kenzie is in. Most of the time when you ask if you can take her picture, she backs up blindly until she hits a wall or some other stumbling block, then stands there and waits until the picture is taken. No smile, no reactions whatsoever until she sees the picture after it's taken and she always laughs at herself.

I was apparently on a marshmallow kick, because this is a picture of Carter helping me make rice Krispies, and it was taken merely hours after we had a great conversation with Olivia. After eating an entire bowl of oatmeal, a bowl of cereal, and an English muffin for breakfast (growth spurt?) she laid down on her chair and said: 'Man. I feel like a walking marshmallow.' I'm pretty sure we would all feel like marshmallows if we ate like that!

There's always at least one thing a day to document and remember. I wish I could bottle up all the memories for when the kids get older, because every day feels like an adventure with this crew. Even from my mostly-stationary vantage point I get to witness the love, laughter, and fighting that usually occur every 20 minutes.

The rest of our month of April was very full because we had visits from both sets of grandparents! I think everyone wanted one last ditch visit before we are slowed down this summer with a newborn.