Cooking

Too many cooks in the kitchen?  The other day I gave the kiddos some bowls, flour, water, and spoons and told them to go to town.  You can't even imagine the mess.  And that cast?  Well....it is so, so dirty.  See, I thought it'd be no big deal to get flour off of it, but I didn't even think about the paste flour and water would form.  Not to mention, the cast isn't supposed to get wet and I gave them a bowl of water.  Clearly, I wasn't thinking....Oh well....his cast has a paste all over it, but it comes off Monday, so no harm!

The kids are starting to play together.  Elli likes to play rough with Connor and usually he loves it unless she's a little too rough!

14 months

Connor turned 14 months old a few weeks ago.  I can't believe how fast he is growing and how much he is changing daily!  His personality continues to develop!  Connor is a sweet, sweet boy, but tends to get feisty with his sister or if something gets taken away from him that he wants.  He loves to steal Elli's toys and run away with them...he thinks it's hilarious and she gets extremely mad....Elli usually tackles him to the ground to get her toy back.  He always wants to know where Elli is....I can't even put her in time would without him going and sitting beside her.  He is pretty generous with his hugs and kisses these days and they are always accepted.  

Connor is really into dancing and loves when the music is on.  I hope I can get a video of him dancing with his cast on because it is so funny....he bangs that cast on the ground so hard!  He loves when we sing songs and is even becoming more interested in reading....sometimes.  His favorite book is "Mr. Brown Can Moo."  This used to be a favorite of Elli's when she was younger.  

Connor is pretty much down to 1 nap a day.  It's been a couple weeks since I have actually put him down for a morning nap.  He starts to get very sleepy around 11:00, but usually makes it through lunch just fine.  He takes a 2 to 3 hour afternoon nap and continues to go to bed around 7:30 or 8.  Lately, it has taken him awhile to fall asleep at night....he has been waking up anywhere from 7:30 to 8:30.  

Connor loves, loves playing outside and going for walks, which we have been doing multiple times a day.  We've definitely put some miles on the wagon...Elli is obsessed with all things scary and wants to see all the Halloween decorations multiple times a day.  He continues to love playing with balls, with his other toys, swinging, and climbinb.  He also loves having his shoes and socks on and will throw a mini fit when I take them off.

Connor understands many, many things these days.  Some new things he is occasionally saying: ball (he loves picking out balls in books), book, and baby (sounds like baba).  He still is signing: more, milk, please, and occasionally eat.  He also does a lot of pointing and grunting to get his point acrossed.      

Connor has also taken a liking to girls.  On Monday, we watched Ansley all day and Connor could not keep his hands off of her.  Big boy found himself a girlfriend.  Connor kept rubbing her back over and over again.  It was love at first sight!  

I love having a boy, but I especially love having this one.....

Tiny Tim

Two weeks ago, Connor broke his leg going down the slide with Scott.  His legs were inside of Scott's while going down the slide and then he moved his right leg and it got stuck.  Initially, we just thought he was fussy because he was missing his morning nap.  It wasn't until about an hour later that we realized he was hurting, but thought it was just a sprain.  He wouldn't bear weight on his leg, so we decided to call the dr. on Monday morning (about 19 hours after the accident happened).  The dr. initially thought Connor's leg was broken, but told me to go home and wait until the afternoon when the Children's urgent care opened to get X-rays.  Connor had X-rays which confirmed that he broke his distal tibia.  He was a mess during each appointment that day, but didn't seem to mind the huge case on his leg.  (If you ask Elli what happened, she'll say "My husband was going down the slide with him"  She says this because this is what she heard me tell the dr.  She is now tossing around the 'husband' word here and there....i.e."my husband is sleeping" while talking about her baby).

Connor's cast comes off next Monday....3 weeks after he got it on.  The dr. says he should have no problem walking again, but might turn his foot out for 3 to 4 weeks after he gets it off.  I'm dreading having him get it taken off.  The dr. told us he will definitely be scared since the saw is so loud.  I think I might slip us both something in the morning to let us calm down (kidding....kind of....no seriously I can't imagine how frightened he will be....he hates going to the dr.).

Connor is doing great with the cast and it doesn't seem to bother him like it did the first few days he had it on.  When we first got home with it on, he just kept hitting it and laughing.  After that, he was a bit fussy for a a day or two....wanting things brought to him rather than crawling to go get them.  He has used his cast as a strategy to stay awake, as he will bang the cast against the crib.  It is seriously so loud it almost shakes the house.  He has learned how to walk with the cast on and gets around just fine.  With the exception of his sponge baths, which he despises, it really hasn't been bad!

Connor has developed some nicknames as a result of the broken leg...."tiny tim"...."the pirate."  Last night I caught Elli saying "Come on Tiny Tim."  Oops....she definitely heard that from me!!  And he really does look like a pirate walking on a peg leg!

We are so thankful for a little boy who has taken this inconvenience so well!  He's just getting extra tough for the pros!!

Go PU

Go osu...umm I mean PU!  We put the kiddos in their Purdue jerseys on Saturday for the game!  I told Elli she was going to wear her jersey and she kept asking where the skirt was that went with it....I'm pretty sure we'll never have to worry about her being one of those girls that is the only player on the varsity football team and etc.  If it isn't a skirt or dress she isn't interested in wearing it!  

 

So....dr. said no standing or walking with the cast on....I'm pretty sure this is impossible with a 13 month old....he is getting more comfortable with his cast on as you can see in the picture above. 

He loves stuffed animals and pillow pets

Family Reunion

Last weekend, we went to a state park in Indianapolis for a family reunion.  The weekend included eating, walking, football, and lots of playtime with cousins.  We had a great time and got to meet some new family members!  Here are a few pictures from the weekend...

 It's a little blurry, but cute one of Connor! 

 Elli was in heaven playing with those boys!  She wanted to be around them the whole time.  She's been talking about 'Dane Bob' ever since we got home.

While Nana L. and I took the older kids to the park, Connor stayed with the guys to watch football! 

We found a park that the kids loved....

 Elli went down this slide a million times!

We took the kids to this park on Saturday and Sunday.  Connor joined us at the park on Sunday and the slide above is the slide that he broke his leg on with Scott. 

I tried to get a good picture of all the kids in their PU outfits and this was the best I got...

Papa L. with all the kids

The kids had a blast!  It was a good weekend minus the broken leg (which I will blog about at a later date once we find out more information from the orthopedic dr. tomorrow morning).

Apple Orchard/Pumpkin Patch

We've already been twice to the apple orchard/pumpkin patch by our house and I'm assuming we'll at least go 1 more time this season!  

A few weeks ago, I met some friends at the apple orchard while Scott had a 'guys day' of watching football with his friends.  The kids helped me pick apples and then we went over to where they had 'train' rides and let Elli take a ride.

All the kids picking apples....a bit chaotic, but everyone loved eating that apples while we picked them!

We went to the orchard/pumpkin patch again a few weeks ago when my parents were in town.  It was more of a last minute decision to go, but you wouldn't be able to tell it from the pictures because there are so many.  

I couldn't pick my favorite out of the next 5 pictures, so I thought I'd post them all.  

 Look at Elli's smile....don't even ask about Elli's outfit.  Sometimes its just easier to let her wear her tutu or skirt...

 I then tried to get a picture of just the kids....fail!  I thought I'd post the picture anyways because of Connor's face.  Notice how it is red around his lips?  They have apple cider slushies that are kind of amazing....Connor was obsessed and wouldn't put the cup down! 

We let the kids play until dinnertime....

 I was able to get a picture of Elli by this pumpkin when she was 8 months old, but was unsuccessful last year!  Connor kept walking away every time we tried to get his picture taken by this...we'll try again another time.

zoo

We went to the zoo for a few hours last Saturday.  It's been a long time since we've been there and Connor is now old enough to actually enjoy it.  I'm thinking we will have to get another membership for next year now that both kids are older. 

 

Connor at the petting zoo....he could have stayed there all day.

 

Elli, Laney, & Scott at the petting zoo.  Elli could have stayed there all day too!

 

We let the girls take a pony ride.  I never thought Elli would actually do it, but she did it!  "Forsies,"  as she says it, are now her thing!

 

Siena on the horse

Elli on the horse