Milestones everywhere!

With 4 kids, there are certainly lots of opportunities for milestone moments, though some are more monumental than others. Carlton and Franklin are now almost 7 months old and are getting more and more interested in rolling over and sitting up, so we're not far off from those true milestones and then it won't be long before they'll be MOBILE!!!!! Just a few days ago I put Franklin and Carlton in the outdoor baby swings for the first time. It was one of those cool, but sunny days we have here in the south that makes for a wonderful respite from the usual dreariness of the cold and/or rainy winter days. They truly enjoyed swinging the sun and watching their big sisters run around and swing on the big kid swings. That's Franklin on the left and Carlton on the right.

Greta and Cora are 4 years, 3 months old and are so verbose and creative these days. They are constantly wanting to work on art projects and their preschool workbooks, particularly enjoying the mazes and the "what doesn't belong" games. Just this week at my parents' house, as they pulled into the garage, Cora said to my mom, "Oma, does that say 'off?'" Indeed it did! It was the control box for the sprinkler system. Later that same evening, she read/remembered aloud a book about a horse named Blaze that she loves to have read to her. After Mom got the girls to bed that night, she was at her computer and Greta came up behind her and told her that she wants to read 'off' and Blaze like Cora can. Oh, and then there are the things the girls have said recently. Greta told me, after spending all day with me at the children's museum, playing and eating at the mall, and shopping for a new washing machine, that I'm cool! I paused and asked if she meant cool as in cold (it was cold that day) or cool as in fun. She responded, "amazing." I'll have to remind her of this when she is 16. Mommy is cool. :) And, the latest from Cora was as they were driving through a town called Rainbow City on the way to my parents' house. There is a giant rainbow ribbon sculpture on the side of the road and they discussed the colors of it as they drove past: red, blue, lellow, green, etc. My mom took that opportunity to work on saying Yellow rather than Lellow and asked them to "yeah - low." Cora was getting frustrated and told Mom, "it's a work in progress!" In these photos, that Cora, Franklin, Carlton, & Greta on the swing set and then Greta & Cora watching the new washing machine.

So, as I've said before, I'll try to post some more here, but things are always super busy as I try to take care of Baby Dipper and the 4 kids, so my "spare time" is virtually nonexistent. I should mention also that I will be giving away a Baby Dipper bowl and spoon set here on my blog next week in the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival hosted by Don't Try This At Home. So, keep an eye on the blog and tell your friends to come post a response for a chance to win a Baby Dipper bowl and spoon set!