Movies and internal turmoil

This summer I have been trying to fill summer with different bigger events about once/week.  We've been to the zoo, the beach (which is a big deal for 3yo's) and now to the movies. I was deciding if I wanted to take them to the movies because I was about 7-8 yo before I got to go see my first movie, Beetlejuice, and that was only because my brother wanted to go for his birthday. Joey wasn't until he was about junior high and he said he watched Jurassic park, but his mom made him read the book first before he could go. I really liked that idea, however Finding Dory is out now. I also know they won't remember this either so i just wasn't sure I wanted to take them. I think there can be experiences that can be for when they are older and remember doing them and how special it is. So I was debating and ultimately on a rainy Tuesday ($5 movies all day on Tuesday) I took them to see finding dory at the first matinee of the day. If they were bad I wouldn't hesitate to leave. They were so excited when we got there and I was excited when they told me the girls were free to see the movie! $5 for all of us to go, woohoo!

Josie excitedly waiting

Ella and I at Finding Dory

They did pretty good at it. They got a little antsy the last 30 minutes or so but overall were great!

Now this past Tuesday I was planning a swim day and then the rain hit. So last minute I decided we were going to go to The secret life of pets. I mean for $5, why not?  As we were driving up the road, Grant and Micah were outside and I asked if they could go. So we quickly got car seats in our van and loaded the boys up. It was when I was paying for the tickets that I thought, what am I doing with 3-3yo's and 1 5yo by myself?  Everybody was really good and liked the movie and we didn't even have to leave for a bathroom break. So I guess I'm over weather or not the girls should see movies or not. And I liked the second movie best.

Skinned knees

This poor girl seems to have a new accessory, bandaids on the knees. She gets so many skinned knees I think she's going to get permanent scars soon.  With her club feet her Achilles' tendon is very tight. She even had surgery to lengthen it to be able to bring her foot up to the normal position. At her last appointment her doctor stated that her Achilles' tendon is more of her issue than the foot turning back in and we need to keep her feet in the braces as long as we possibly can to keep that stretch on her tendon.  Ella trips SO much because she is unable to bring her foot up, causing her to trip. Try pointing your big toe to your knee, your foot has flexion, where Ella's flexion is not close to what ours is because of the tight tendon, it can't stretch as much as ours.  So when she walks or runs her foot "drags" causing her trip. Today was yet another fall day, but obviously by her smile it didn't slow her down too much. She's super tough and.... bandaids fix everything!!! 

Eli~4 months

This lil man is 4 months old!  It's really going fast this time and I am really enjoying him, his smiles and cuddles!  He is a really happy and chill baby which is awesome for mom who is busy with his older sisters. He is in 3 month clothes, size 1 diapers but moving up to a 2 when we finish this pack of 1's. He was sleeping through the night, but seems to want to party at 3am lately. There was a time mom would of been happy to party, but not these days. He is still breasfeeding but apparently not enough. He's dropped a few percentiles and the doctor actually wanted me to wake him up in the night to feed him, but I'm not doing that. But then again he started doing it himself any way :/ He has rolled over from front to back, he coos and talks to us and enjoys being up to watch what's going on--usually his sisters commotion. 

His official stats:

Weight: 13lbs .5 oz 10-25th percentile 

Length: 25 1/3 inches 75th percentile

Head:  16 1/3 inches 25-50th percentile

He really is a string bean

Independence Day

The Fourth of July was a rather cold one for July. The high was mid sixties all weekend. However, that didn't stop us celebrating. 

Trying to get a picture of us with our red, white and blue. It didn't work out.

Josie ready for fireworks show

Found this picture of Ella (R) and thought that Eli (L) looks like her.  Ella is 6months old and Eli is three months old but I do think they look alike. 

Playing with sparklers 

Careful Ella :)

Father's Day 2016

Father's Day was celebrated by going out to eat, swimming, grilling out and just having a fun day celebrating daddy. We started the day with a small scavenger hunt. Now if there is one thing Joey really really likes its scavenger hunts (insert sarcasm). Because of this love I didnt get very creative. So I made little notes and told him where to go find the next one. I had them placed strategically on all Ohio 

State stuff like a sweatshirt in his closet, the corn hole set in the garage etc and the last note on a Wisconsin cup and it asked if had figured out his gift yet and led him to his gift.  After I hinted as to where each note was placed he figured out his gift--OSU vs WI tickets. He was very happy with his Father's Day gift to say the least!  And the girls really enjoyed the scavenger hunt!  They were running to the next spot to find the next note and were so fun to watch. Afterwards the girls played with notes putting them around for each other to find. So cute!

The notes

Happy Father's Day!  You are a wonderful, loving, kind father and we are so very lucky to have you in our lives! 

Schlegel Family

I was asked to do a photo shoot for Ashton and her son and as we talked she stated her husband was leaving for basic training that following Monday and that is why it would be just her and Emmett.  When I heard this, I REALLY wanted to try to get the 3 of them before he left and we were able to make that happen.  Emmett wasn't have much to do with smiling, but I think that because he knew his daddy was leaving. Here are few of the 3 of them and I am so glad we made it happen before he left!

The joy on Dad and Mom's face..