4 Months Old!

Danielle at four months old is just a delightful bundle of happy, chubby baby. She scrunches up her whole body when she smiles. She definitely recognizes all of her family members now, and is happiest when surrounded by the hubbub of her entire family. D still likes her pacifier. I know that long term this is preferable to thumb sucking, as it's easier to wean her off of something we can take away. The down side is that several times a night I have to get up and give her pacifier back to her. In addition to those visits she usually wants to eat at least once during the night. Luckily she is pretty efficient about the meal and going back to sleep.

Danielle is getting stronger every day, and is very close to sitting up, although she still has to work on remembering to hold herself up. She is doing some rolling, but not consistently, and has started grabbing toys and blankets and stuffing them in her mouth. In addition to being very smiley, D is also quite chatty, filling the house with lots of coos, squeals, and giggles.

D got a clean bill of health at her 4 month appointment. She weighed in at 15lbs 15oz (81st percentile), 24" long (27th percentile), and 15.98" head circumference (47th percentile). She didn't fuss too much after her shots and completely charmed the nurse and the pediatrician. :)

Spring Soccer

 This spring Nathan returned to the soccer fields with the AYSO Blue Rockets.  It was amazing to see how many of the kids had grown so tall over the winter!  They also seemed to have a much better grasp on the concept of the game and weren't so tentative. This resulted in more of the classic cluster of players following the ball up and down the field.  Nathan continued to love it, and we have already signed him up for the fall.  I love it that he is enjoying something that was such a staple of my entire childhood.  I hope his interest continues! Here are some photos from throughout the season:

This spring was so cold that almost all of the games were played wearing pants and sweatshirts underneath the kids' uniforms. 

Part of the Nathan Fowle fan club!

Great Aunt Phyliss was in town and came to one of Nathan's games. It was so nice to spend time with her!

Such a classic soccer kid photo. I love him.

 I had to work and Todd was on the fishing trip for the last game of the season, so my awesome mom helped out and took him. She also got to see the end of season celebration and was kind enough to take some photos.

 Go Blue Rockets!!!

Memorial Day Weekend

 I forgot to bring my real camera up north for Memorial Day weekend. This was a bummer, but my trusty iphone was able to take up some of the slack. My biggest regret is that I didn't have my real camera with me to take a family photo, since Jordan was there for the weekend and it was Danielle's first trip to the cottage. 

The weather for the entire weekend was picture perfect--sunny and warm with cool evenings.  There are definitely Memorial Day weekends where we have been bundled up in long sleeves and jeans the whole time--in fact, it didn't even occur to me to pack shorts for anyone and this was a rare year where we could have worn them! 

Driving on M-22, watching the Bay out the window and knowing we're almost there!

The newest excitement in Northport is the opening of Tucker's right downtown. It's a cute restaurant and bowling alley.  Can you tell the kids were excited to see Grandma??

Cars in the Park is an annual tradition, and this was D's first trip to a car show! Spoiler alert: she slept through it. :)

The rest of the family was a little more alert. 

Both big kids were SO excited to get their fingers and toes in the sand.

We also couldn't resist putting our toes in the COLD bay.

Baby D partaking in one of the delights of the cottage: hanging out on the deck.

Sleeping beauty.

Aunt Erin was teaching Danielle about the Tigers.

Natalie learned how to pedal a tricycle!!

Nathan was enthralled with the scooter that Nancy and Larry had when they were kids. He rode it all weekend!

 May 22nd was our 10 year wedding anniversary!! Dan and Nancy watched the kids on Sunday, and Todd and I spent the afternoon driving to Traverse City and back up the peninsula enjoying the scenery and doing some tastings at 2 breweries, a creamery, a winery, a distillery and a cidery--good thing they were just tastings! ;)  My favorite stop of the day was at Right Brain Brewing in TC. They have super interesting beers and they make waffle sandwiches. Todd was not impressed by my desire to photograph my meal... :)

Spring's late arrival this year meant that we got to see all of the cherry orchards in full bloom. SO beautiful. I love Michigan.

We capped off our vacation with a breakfast trip to Barb's Bakery for some cinnamon twists and chocolate donuts. So delicious!

My Three Amigos

 I am so very lucky to have these three kids, and that they love each other so much! It is rare that all three of them are in one photo, and even more rare when they are all in one photo and being cooperative/not crying! Here are some of my favorites...the photos and the kids!

Meijer Garden Butterflies

 Another long overdue post! During my maternity leave, I headed up to Grand Rapids and met up with Mom and Dad for a weekday trip to the butterfly exhibit at Meijer Gardens. This is an annual trip, but usually because of work we have to go on the weekends when it is a total madhouse, with just as many humans as butterflies all crammed into the exhibit. It was so nice to go when it wasn't very crowded, and there were SO many butterflies!  Both Nathan and Natalie really loved it, and Nat has continued her love of butterflies since this trip.  Danielle slept the whole time, snuggled in Grandma's arms.

Aside from the beauty of the plants and animals, with the frigid winter and early spring we had, it was a wonderful respite to be in the warm, humid air. I decided it was a mini spring break trip! :) 

Preschool Graduation!!

In mid-May Nathan had a big milestone: preschool graduation! Ahh! I can't believe my baby boy will be going to kindergarten in the fall. He is so ready, but there will be tears on my end. :)  He has been going to this school since he was an infant, and none of the kids in his class will be going to his kindergarten, so that part is definitely bittersweet.  The annual spring performance/graduation is always short and sweet and hilarious.  The kids perform a few songs, and then the preK teacher says a few words about each graduate.  There are snacks and then total pandemonium as the kids run laps around the gym.  Both sets of grandparents were there, and I realize now that I'm blogging that I didn't get any formal or family shots. Oops.

The show is about to begin, all the performers are lined up, and there is one two-year-old who does not understand why she can't find her spot in line!

Upon being told that she does not get to perform, she laid down on the stage in protest and Daddy had to come get her. :)

Outwardly, Danielle displayed more decorum, sitting nicely with Grandma Nancy, but I'm pretty sure she was wishing she knew how to climb up on stage too!

First song of the evening, "I Don't Want To Grow Up"

Still bummed not to be performing, but snuggling with Papa was an acceptable alternative.

Each kid picked a favorite book--Nathan's was "The Goose's Gold."

They sang "Down By The Bay"

"Have you ever seen a moose, kissing a goose?!?"

Graduation time!

Ms. Jennifer talking about how hard Nathan worked this year learning how to read, and how much he loves it! That's been one of my favorite developments of his this year as well.