The Cutest Headbands

My sister in laws sister, Lauren, made me the cutest headbands! I just love them and wanted to show them off! I absolutely love this skinny headband one but her head it going to grow out of it soon!

The flowers have snaps as well as the headbands for easy flower swapping. Now you don't see the back of a clip sticking out!

Now if I could only get Ellie to smile at the camera!

Thanks Lauren! We love them!

Back To School, Yay!

Yesterday was the first day of preschool. It was not as big of a deal this year since it is the same school and same room. They were a little nervous to go but ran right in. Livy said she cried a little during the day because she missed me. They both were happy to go back today with no problem. I stole Jamie's little trick of putting a heart on their hand to look at when they missed me and it worked wonders! I am so happy they are liking going to school. The few hours pass much more quickly than I would like but it is great for them to have something to do that stimulates those little brains!

We didn't do any school shopping this year as you can tell by their short dresses! They had shorts on underneath to cover their bums!

Little brother just following his sisters. He loves going to pick them up. He tries to get in the classroom and stay too but luckily we haven't had any crying yet when I have to take him home with me. He does ask "where Rachels?" with his hands in the question seeking position!

You are getting so old girls! I love you and I am so happy that you are enjoying school and are such wonderful little girls. Keep up the good work sweeties!

Colt at 20 Months

He is still a busy busy boy but maybe that is just the standard with boys. He gets into everything and causes me lots of extra clean up a day but he is so cute in everything he does I can't seem to get too mad! We wouldn't mind having another just like him!

Here he was dusting for me. I found him here wiping the light saying "yuck." Oh so helpful. Many times a day I forget to lock the water dispenser on the fridge and he has made a huge puddle on the floor trying to fill up cups from the play room.

Doing "squishy puffy cheeks" to dad or anyone else he can get his hands on. He loves laughing and is always running. Never walking and always swinging his arms when standing still. It is so cute and I am gonna miss it for sure.

He is getting clingier. He wants me to kiss all his boo boos now and pretends to get his hands hurt all the time and brings them to me to kiss. His favorite phrase right now is "I stuck" or "help" or "what happened" or "Rachel". He gets fake stuck a lot. And he calls both girls Rachel. He is getting good at saying sorry also. He apologized to himself many times a day whenever he hurts himself. It is cute and funny and makes the girls laugh.  

He has played with McKay twice recently and they do awesome together. They laugh non stop and seem to have to much fun!

He loves Barney and Elmo and points the clicker at the tv and says "Bah-ney", kind of forgets the "r". He has just started liking puzzles a lot and is getting much better at them. He loves coloring and putting stickers on papers, that got us through a good portion of the flight for NY!

He did great at nursery so far and is great with babysitters.

His shoe obsession has moved to princess heeled shoes, noisy shoes. He still loves balls and jumping. He wants to jump non stop. All the time on the couch or from the couch to the ottoman, etc. Any thing he does he needs to jump down. It is funny when I open the fridge he goes right in and wants to jump off the little ledge there. Who would think to jump out of the fridge? Isn't there other options?

I brought the pack n' play into the living room for Ellie to lay in instead of on the floor because I fear for her life with this guy around. He just loves her so much he is a little rough! But as it turns out Colt loves to be in there, which works out even better because then he is contained too!

The stool. The new tool of trouble. This kid loves stools. He carries it all over the house with him. If he can't do something he won't ask he just runs to the bathroom and gets a stool and is back super quick getting into trouble. He is very quick and efficient with it.

Trying to rip off the cotton from the pictures. I have found him on every surface of the house lately thanks to the stool. Kitchen counter, standing in bathroom sink, on dining room table, kitchen table, night stands, etc. Now he can reach everything that we had kept just out of reach. He can get stuff off the high counter that was our only safe spot! All the tv buttons, the light switches, cabinets, etc. Who would think the stool would be a tool for mass destruction? Don't be fooled, it is!

I know, just take it away. I try. We just have so many from all the bathrooms and the girls still need them so he always manages to get one somewhere!

Looking for his Grandma's. Standing there saying "Grandma, Grandma?" What a sweetie. Love this guy. He is talking so much more now a days and everyday I seem to hear something new. I love it! It is still so adorable to hear each thing and see how he is learning. He loves answering yes or no now and telling if it is hot or cold. He still doesn't listen to no when I say no but I don't think any of them this age do.

When we got back from NY we moved Colt's room upstairs. The first few sleep sessions he wasn't too sure of it but only had to cry for about 30 seconds. Now he loves going upstairs like his sisters. He loves his football and insists on having it in bed with him. He loads his bed full of junk. Lots of books and stuffed animals before naps and now he has started with puzzles in there too. Another one of his favorite words, football. Anything with an oval/football shape he calls football.

He sure loves his baby sister and tries to teach her to crawl, blow on her belly and in her hair, kiss her, burp her, steal her pacifier and try to lay on her! He loves his big sisters too and enjoys every minute that they let him play with them! He is a good cleaner too when we sing the clean up song. He loves swimming and is a crazy man jumping in the pool with no fear. He wears wings but goes right under and pops back up. He loves songs too and he sings happy birthday so cute.

More Fun From New York!

It will take me a while to get all of my New York pictures up here, probably until my next trip! Here is another installment of some family pictures and some more beach pictures. It was a great trip and everyone in our family is camera happy so we end up with hundreds of pictures to look through!

Grandma Barbara and I. Thanks so much for an awesome reunion Grandma. We all look forward to it each year and love that we get to see everyone when we otherwise wouldn't. What an awesome blessing it is to grow up with.

Uncle Chuck's got the touch!

Uncle Jake and his side kick Tuck! So cute to see these two buddies reunited!

The newly engaged couple Derek and Alli! Congrats you two!

Pop and Zeke just chillin.

Washington Rathegebers. Everyone is so old already! I can't believe it.

New York Rathgebers. This group is growing quickly! And we love all the new additions!

Crazy lady with 4! Mom was sitting behind me holding Livy down!

Calm and relaxed Psillos' with one happy baby!

Psillos', only missing Dan and Eric.

Grammy and Colt. He sure loved Grammy this trip. He was following her a lot and always screaming for Grandma! He got to spend some Grammy and Colt time doing errands with Gram.

Ellie taking a snooze on Tina. I don't think she napped in her bed but maybe 3 times the whole trip!

Boy heading out on a fishing trip!

And here are the Olympic competitors............The Blue Team

The Red Team

The Yellow Team

The Green Team

I'm actually not even sure who won? I think Uncle Gary had the winning roll? We had the usual events: wheelbarrow race, spring, kart wheels, crab crawl, swimming, pillowcase hop, etc. But this year there were separate events for the parents to do. The final event was for the parents and they had to roll down the sand toward the water for the finish. It was hysterical! It was Dave, Mom, Gary, and Barbara and I haven't seen an event quite so humorous! They were rolling over each other and it is just funny to see old, excuse me, older, people rolling down the sand! Great addition this year who ever added that in!

Grammy and the girls. They sure love their Grammy and Poppy, and why wouldn't they? They are so loved and spoiled and Grammy's house is like a child's dream land with swings and toys galore! It sure is their favorite place to visit. They miss you guys and can't wait to come back. Thanks so much for such a great great trip and taking such good care of all of us!

Tucker the sand monkey! He gets covered in sand from head to toe and continues to dive in it and loves every second of it. It's awesome to watch!

Reunited and it feels so good! I hadn't seen Becky in almost two years, since her wedding. I hadn't met Tucker yet and she hadn't met Ellie or Colt! So sad when we don't get to see each other as much anymore. It was so great to see Beck and Cass but actually better than normal great because they both had their adorable babies with them. It is so fun seeing them as mommies and doing all the mom stuff together! (How did I shrink? The last picture like this I don't think I was so short?)

Liz always had a baby. She loved hanging out and holding sleeping ones or entertaining awake ones! Thanks for the extra help Liz!

The gang on the beach. What a great sight!

Silky practicing her babysitting skills!

Dad and the girls. They had so much fun with him at the ocean. Rachel says she is a beach girl now. And she asked cousin Jen to come have a sleep over at our house. She told her our address so she could come here!

Great Grandma Barbara with her newest great grand baby, Ellie. That is #8 for her!

Miss Ellie at 7 weeks. Almost grown out of her 3 month dress!

Sweet girl. I sure love watching you grow and change!

Uncle Charlie in a fun game of girls chase Charlie with squirt guns! These kids are never lacking entertainment. I have awesome brothers and sisters that are always playing with them. Thanks guys! They sure do love you guys!

Snoozin' with the babe.

A well deserved rest for Grammy. I am sure we wore her and dad out. Thanks so much for having us! We a wonderful time again this year. Thanks mom and dad. It was a great rest before real life with all four of them! We sure miss you guys!  And thanks Han for putting up with the girls and them taking your stuff! Can't wait to see you again soon!