Sunshine, Sweetheart & Smiley Entertainment

I thought I'd give an update on our kids, since I usually just post photos.

Erica is having so much fun in school. It appeals to her outgoing, creative, and curious personality. She comes home with new artwork everyday, is reading better, and keeps surprising us with interesting facts about spiders, fish, and seeds. Erica was an angel for Halloween. She looked beautiful. Her teacher saw her and said "there could be no more perfect costume for Erica!" Erica has really grown up - she has so much energy and aims to please. I can't tell you how much she adds to our lives - if you know Erica, you understand. She has a hilarious sense of humor, as evidenced by her wanting to wrestle with Robby, wanting to be tickled, and wanting to tell oh-so-funny jokes. :) One way I have noticed Erica behaving really grown up is around Jacob. Look at this sweet picture!! She has this tenderness and love for him. She's so helpful with him and is really helping me by feeding him bottles all by herself! She also loves to put toys on his head and make him laugh when they fall off. Erica is our sunshine.

Erica drew all by herself this in about 2 minutes while we were watching

Robby had so much fun Trick or Treating! He would yell "wait for meeeeee!" or "here I coooooooome!" to Ella, Emilia, and Erica as they ran from house to house. He and Jacob were matching bears. Robby is always surprising me with phrases like "Mom? I'm so glad you're my mom." or "I really love you" out of the blue. He is also a bookworm, which makes us happy since we love reading so much. He has enjoyed writing letters and sounding out three letter words lately. He writes one letter on each peice of paper, so I think he's gone through a ream in a week! He memorizes the books we read enough that after only two readings, he corrects his teacher at preschool to tell her she missed a word. Much to my excitement, he is getting good at games...but much to my dismay, he almost always beats me at Candyland, Chutes and Ladders, Hi Ho Cheerio, and Sequence for Kids. I haven't lost my competetive edge, even with my three-year-old. I preach "it's okay if you lose," but I really am seething inside when I get beat. Robby is our sweetheart.

I got to go back to the pumpkin patch with just Robby and his preschool. We had such a wonderful time together!!

Jacob...where do I start? We feel so blessed to have Jacob in our family! He has so much personality and brings out a neat side in each of us. I can't believe he is almost SEVEN months old! Jacob is loving solids, as long as they have something to do with fruit. He manages to get wherever he wants through rolling and twisting around...he made it to our CD player the other day and was overjoyed. He knows how to give hugs if you ask him to and he makes a "aaahhhh" sound while he hugs you! He loves this funny game where Rob or I hold out our fingers and Jacob grabs them and stands up. In fact, he's obsessed with this game. If we try to stop or if we try to have him sit instead of stand, he goes crazy. Jacob is eating and sleeping better since I've almost finished weaning him (in an effort to get rid of the last remnant of my pregnancy pain...not sure if it's helping yet). He's a very happy baby...in fact, he's as happy now as he was fussy four months ago. Jacob is our smiley entertainment.

Do your kids ever say words that you never want them to correct? Here are a few of my favorites.

Erica:

Cafeteria = Afkateria

Computer = Pewter

Robby:

Candyland = Candylion

Mosquito = Bosquito

I'll add more - I can't think of them right now since I am trying so hard!