Tripp's Race!

The stars aligned- the weather cooperated, Tripp managed to stay healthy and he got to run his first race today! It was in Forest Park, just a 1/4 mile out and back. Seeing that we are new to this whole kids race thing and we were heading to church afterwards, we were a little dressed up for the occasion but we still had a great time (Tripp wasn't dressed up, just us)! Apparently parents are allowed to run with their kids so Nelson and Tripp ran together (Nelson in his flip flops of course) and Lily and I were the cheerleaders. 

Race number 

Running hard!

Cause everyone got a ribbon

1/4 mile sure makes you thirsty

Stopped by the firetrucks after the race

Tripp's Second Third Birthday Cake

After celebrating a friend's birthday this morning, Tripp informed me that he did not blow out the candles on his cake at his birthday party. This is indeed true and I did not realize that he had even noticed that. So I felt a little guilty about the fact that I kinda messed up an important part of a birthday party and decided we needed to remedy the situation. So this afternoon, I got a blueberry coffee cake for our dinner and put a candle on there for him to blow out. He was super excited and wanted to do it over again. 

Real Food!!

According to Lily, I should have been feeding her solids a long time ago. She eats like she's not sure she is getting another meal. So far she has had rice cereal, oatmeal and mixed grain cereal and then peas, sweet potatoes, peaches and turkey. She loves everything, usually has seconds or thirds and tonight was pretty much giddy after finishing up her dinner. Sorry little one for holding out on you for so long!!

(please ignore the terrible outfit complete with the unbutton top button- we are running out of pajamas that she will fit in and not strangle her!!)

God's Good Plan

I have been thinking a lot lately about God's sovereignty in our lives because we have been running up against what feels like a significant amount of closed doors (or maybe not so many closed doors- just big doors that get closed). Things like school for Tripp, jobs for Nelson, selling our house and the like. Every one of those things has so far not turned out the way I had planned. I don't have too hard of a time remembering that God is in control, but I have a really really hard time remembering that his plans for our lives are good. Like the fact that we might stay in our house that is small, or that so far, Nelson has not found a new job. Being the planner that I am, I have a hard time believing that when things do not go the way I think they should, that God somehow messed up or my memo to Him about the great ideas I had for our lives somehow got lost in the mail. I all too often ask why and don't trust the fact that God has a plan- a different plan and a good plan, whether it seems or feels that way to me (and most likely it doesn't). So while I struggle on a daily basis to accept where we are in life right now, I try to remember that God is good- all.the.time.

Pumpers and Pistons

We headed to the "transpo-tation museem" today and enjoyed the Pumpers and Pistons exhibit. Tripp loved seeing more firetrucks and Lily just took it all in. She even flashed a few smiles to some firemen. We finished it up with a train ride and are looking forward to going back and checking out the new and improved Creation Station!

Lily at 6 months

Lily had her six month appointment this week and also a trip to the eye doctor. Both were great and she got glowing reports both places. Her 6 month stats:

Weight: 16 lbs 6.2 ounces, 53%
Length: 26 3/4 inches, 79%
Head Circumference: 17 inches, 74%

So she continues to be long and lean and of course has such a brainy brain in her head! She had an interesting week last week which started with a visit to the doctor due to some crazy rash on her head. That turned out to be nothing so that was good but then she got Tripp's crazy cough/fever/throwing up sickness. So we got a little behind in her solids feedings, but are getting back on track now. She had some turkey yesterday and did not balk at it one bit. So we will keep up adding new foods to her diet every few days. We've got some catching up to do since she is supposed to have everything that we eat by 8 months old (pureed up of course).

I already posted her six month pic so no other ones for this post. Sorry second born child, I will try to take more pics of you :)

Three Years Old

My little baby is three! It is really hard to believe- like everyone tells you, time really does fly. I try to cherish it but sometimes, with the new phase we are in, I just cherish nap time or bed time when it means that my three year old will be sleeping (or just being mischevious in his room where I can't see him). I definitely think that the "terrible twos" is a misnomer (at least for Tripp), I think it might be more like the terrible threes for us. But that's ok, when he is not having his moments, he is incredibly sweet, very well spoken and has lots of great thoughts on things. Some of his accomplishments these days- getting dressed by himself, counting objects (he can usually make it to six or seven accurately), recognizing his letters and the sounds some make, and doing some sequencing/patterns. We went to the doctor yesterday and had fun with the new things the three year olds get to do- hearing/vision screening, blood pressure, different scale and height thingy (yes that is the technical term) and BMI calculation. The results are in-

Weight:  37 lbs, 91%
Height: 40 1/4 inches, 94%
BMI: 52%
Blood Pressure: 102/66
Vision (not actually done because he is seen by an ophthalmologist)
Hearing: Right ear- okay Left ear- retest (only because he has been sick and has fluid on that ear)

After a pretty rough actual birthday (which concluded with Tripp telling me that I had ruined his birthday), we redeemed it the next day with a great third birthday party. There was not a whole lot of planning done on my part because I just really did not have the energy but thankfully all Tripp wanted to do was go to the fire station and the park with a few friends of his choosing. So last Saturday we headed up to the first station with our friends and the rest I could not have planned better. Our favorite crew was on duty and since it was a Saturday, they don't have any of their regular things (like paperwork, etc) that they have to do. So we were there for about an hour and half and the kids got to check out the equipment, try on gear, and best of all- eat lunch and cake in the station, with the firefighters, at their big table. I really could not have planned it better if I had tried. Tripp is blessed to have such great little friends, and I am thankful for their parents and their friendships in our lives.