Cheating

I am back in the game, but in order to catch up, I need to do a huge cheat and just post a bunch of random pictures.  Some of these seem like from ions ago!  Baby Jonny is changing so fast. :)  Here are some pictures that convinced me he needed a hair cut:

 

Jonny still likes to eat random objects - possibly why he isn't talking yet - such as -

golf balls:

 

nerf gun darts -

 

When he isn't eating toys, he can often be found sneaking food from the pantry.

 

 

Or licking random door posts.  I'm sure they sanitized these recently.

 

 

When we need a moment, off to his cage castle he goes.  This is how he protests.

 

 

Lest you think it's all about the baby :)

 

Charlie's been working out: 

 

Abby did the Drive, Chip, and Putt again:

 

 

And Ashley did her first season of track and field. (everything they say about parents trying to live out their dreams through their kids is true)  :)

 

 

Ashley is also thriving in algebra.  Here she clearly "diagrams the relationship between x & y."  This *may* have been done in protest as well.  :)

 

 

 We had surprise Easter bunnies visit us!

And the kids have been *helping* me shop for chairs.

 

And apparently oversized stuffed bears as well.

 

The highlight, however, may have been dress like a pirate day at KKD.  Charlie took one for the team and scored us a free dozen donuts!  We tried to get Jonathan to dress up for another dozen, but that was not going to happen.  He had no problem eating his share of the donuts though. 

4th of July

Going out of order again to settle some antsy family members in Seattle. :)

We have a great tradition of watching the parade on the 4th with the care group. The group has grown, and we love having everyone over.

Here is little Jon waiting for the parade to begin.

This is a partial picture of the group. I meant to take another one, but somehow got distracted. Maybe it was Jonathan running into the parade.

The girls were in the parade and decorated a wagon. When they passed we saw that they had won best wagon!

A victory picture at the end with their trophy. (And Popsicles)

The neighbor's bunny came out to watch and the boys were right there smothering, I mean petting, it.

And then the annual picture of Jonny with his Varblow brothers. Jonah, Jonny, and Jacob. All 3 redheads. He fits right in. :)

We ended the day with fireworks surrounding us which Jonathan was petrified of! He now clutches his chest when we say "scary". Newly invented sign language - 37. Words he can speak - 2. Awesome. 

A Day In the Life

I feel like I don't get much done in the course of a day.  Some of it is I feel like I'm still in a fog, but I think a lot of it is a certain little someone who is very, very busy.  Here is a sample of a day.

9:14am - finds treat bowl left out from the night before and helps himself to a Hershey kiss, a piece of candy, and a lollipop.

10am - Climbs on counter and finds knives and Ashley's water bottle

 

10:30am - makes his way somehow past the school table to the game closet and proceeds to pull out and empty the games.

 

 

10:45am - after getting sent to his cage for safety, I recorded this video.  I had set the camera on the ottoman and left it running because in days past he would show up in the playroom after I swore I locked him up and I thought I was losing my mind.  He scraped his stomach on the way down, but had enough sense to not cry.

 

 

*brief pause for a diaper blowout and a bath*



 

11:30am - After standing at the back door and repeating "do-do-do" 674 times, I tell him to go find his shoes and I will let him go outside.   He brings me 2 different shoes (although still a right and a left) and he gets some freedom in the backyard.

 

 

12:30pm - upon opening the dishwasher to load dishes, I find this, apparently a rocket in need of washing.

 

He has earned the right to wear this shirt!  He puts Abby to shame.  :p

Alli & Ian are watching the kids for 2 days while I go to a conference in Seattle.  And after this post...I think they will still be excited.  They are crazy like that.

Milepost

I'm really going out of order here, but I promised a video by tonight, so I'd better deliver.  Charlie set the record this week by becoming the youngest Stoughtie to learn to ride a bike.  Keep in mind, in the real world, I'm sure 5 years old won't turn many heads, but the kid has only been walking for just over 3 years!  It's all about where you set the bar.  Anyway, here is his debut.  Can I add that he basically taught himself?  He basically had a push bike as we took the pedals off, then we noticed he was balancing and coasting anyway, so Andy just added back the pedals and he was off.

And here he is acting a little Abby-esque.  Fortunately, he doesn't move as fast, so he had time to adjust.

Way to go, Chuckles!

Ram Fan - Take 4

Here are the 4 little Ram Fans - in random order.

 

 

Jonathan is WALKING!

I know, it's hard to believe.  As Abby said (when Charlie started walking at 20 months), "I don't know any other babies who can walk!!"  Well, Jonathan must have a little competitive streak, because he beat Charlie by a hair and started walking at 19 months.  Before I post the evidence though, here are a couple of his recent favorite hang out spots.

On top of his toy box so he can knock on the window and wave at all of the people walking by: 

Sleeping on top of his toy box.  He had some assistance here from a certain older sister.  After falling off in this position, it is no longer a favorite hang out spot.

 

This, he LOVES.  He will climb up on the table and just scream at us.  Almost like a, look at me, what are you going to do about it? 

 

 

And, alas, the walking video.  And what would any Stoughton video be without the musical accompaniment of Andy singing. :)

 

 

One last video of Jonny dancing.  Dad and Marge love sending very LOUD, musical cards.  The kids love them.  Apparently Jonathan does too.

 

We are now a family of 6 walkers!  That's tougher to get to than some might think. :)

Skipping Forward

I don't have it in me to go back and recapture all of the events to bring the blog up to date.  Anything I write would seems fake, looking back and writing about it as if present events haven't happened.  So, Christmas came and went, and something happened to January.  Then came February.  February 6th, Bill called to tell us that Mom was getting worse.  Alli and I talked on the phone, starting to make plans to fly to Denver.  We started looking a week out, then it changed to leaving in a couple of days.  That evening Bill called again to say Mom had fallen and wanted to talk to my sister and myself.  She got on the phone, and I honestly couldn't make out what she said, but I told her that I loved her and that we were flying out in the morning to be there.  My dad picked us up at the airport at 1:30pm.  Alli had a message on her cell phone that Mom wasn't doing well and that they were trying to get her to "hang on" until we got there.  We got to Mom's as fast as we could.  Dad dropped us off and we ran inside and then upstairs to where Bill was standing, only to hear, "she's gone" when we reached him.  She had died just 10 minutes before we got there.  We started to walk in the bedroom where she was lying, and after a quick glance at her face, I knew I couldn't do it.  I couldn't bear to see her gone.  Maybe it was denial, but I never did manage to go in and see her.  My uncle (Mom's brother) was already in the air - on a flight he had planned weeks ago to come visit her.  She was doing "great" at the time.  Who would have though he would end up travelling on the day she died.  In a very real way, it was amazing timing to have Bill, Morg, Allison, and myself there for the weekend.  We could openly grieve, share, laugh, whatever, without guard.  I knew each day that it was a precious time.  The week between her death and the memorial service was hectic and full.  There was so much to do, which kept my mind at bay of reality.  We all went back to Denver the following weekend for the service.  That was a great time of gathering for friends and family.  As hard as it is to be at Mom and Bill's house - just expecting her to walk in the room - there is a comfort about it as well.  It was hard to come home.  So, now we have turned a chapter.  I still pick up the phone sometimes at 4pm to call her.  Ashley had a reality check when she wondered if Grammie would call her on her birthday.  Charlie pauses for a moment after he prays for God to heal her.  It takes some getting used to.  I miss her terribly.  I realize now all I took for granted having her here.  I am so glad we were able to get the kids out to see her one last time.  She loved them so much.

Trip in August with the girls:

Ashley with the bunny Mom gave her when she was born:

 Trip in November with the boys:

 

The last picture I have of us together:

 



Psalms 73:26 - My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 

 

I just can't say good-bye.

 

 

misc pics

Here are some miscellaneous pictures I am putting together so I can get caught up.  This one of Abby is from awhile ago.  This is one of her (many) dollar store purchases.  The junk things you see in there and think, "who buys this stuff?" the answer is - Abby - and she actually uses it.  She loves this mask.  And she loves the Dollar Store. :)

 

This is one of Charlie's favorite outfits.  He loves this shirt and he loves these socks - so why not wear them together!

 

 

Ashley and Abby trying to make "foam mustaches".  Despite it really not working, attempts went on and on and on...

 

This is so typical.  Imagine a school day, Ashley without her glasses...again.  I tell her to go get them, 30 minutes later, still no Ashley, or glasses.  BUT - she has made 5 of these signs to put up around the house.

Abby notices the reward offer, hops up and comes back 30 seconds later with the glasses (hence the "found" notice written across the sign - which took the next 15 minutes). 

Charlie and Jonathan in a (rare) bath moment.

 

Matching - again! :) (yes, Jonny needs a haircut)

 

 

This is his "I am having such a hard time and I need some help" look.

 

Jonny's new seat for playing.  He is usually inside his toy box, which does allow extra room for visitors!

Still escaping...

 

If you haven't heard about the great Arctic Blast 2013 of the Northwest, well, we endured and managed to escape major damage.  Jonathan was tough enough to brave the elements for a photo op.