November

Whats new?

Coleman at 7.5 months is walking furniture and in between furniture and can cross a room holding on to only one hand. He loves his tougue and it is often seen hanging out of his mouth.  He likes to laugh when tickled. He is finally sleeping better and we have had a few sleep through the night. but he still often wakes at 4 and I try to make him cry it out but at 5-5:30 I give up and go nurse him. But hey this is better then twice a night which was the norm just 2 weeks ago. He is everywhere and has broken his first piece of home decor :( I need to get a gate on the stairs but man is that going to be really annoying, especially on account that you can't fully open the front door with the child gate on the stairs. Can't wait until we can bump out our entry. I really enjoy babies but toddlers is a whole new game that I'm struggling enjoying. The only good part is watching them learn and seeing that progress and little light bulb go on when that grasp something. I am all about empowering kids to do things themselves but I'm struggling with the consequences of that in the realm of time and mess :(

Keiton has mastered opening doors and climbing out of his crib naps and night time are always a battle.

Brielle is in an obstinate phase (i hope) and refuses to do much of what she is asked.

I have much to learn about patience.  I never realized until having my own how hard being a good mom is. I am so grateful that I had an amazing mom now the challenge is not to compare myself to her. I always thought I'd be grate at the juggling game of mothering and keeping everything a float especially with lots of kids. We all no not everyone is cut out for a large family (not that large means better) but I always thought I was. Now I'm rethinking that. To bad we can't trade choose how long our children stay in different stages of childhood. I'd take the infant stage longer and speed up the toddler one.

I have had a lot of thoughts on the kind of Parent Heavenly Father is to me and the kind of parent I am to my kids. Man do i have a loooooooooooo........ng journey to become anything like him. sigh!

preschool

I have started a preschool co op and I have kind of gone crazy over it and am a little intense and over the top. BUT of all the things I could be putting my time money and energy into right now this would be around the top.

Brielle " your hurting my body"
Keiton "I want to sleep with my bones" interpretation I want to sleep with our book about the human body.

At times I will find Brielle in the learning center playing away or working away for a long time instead of playing in the playroom with all the toys.

I must be doing something right.

The kids are enjoying doing more and more themselves and Keiton the last week has been found with just his diaper on in the mornings because he is practicing taking off his clothes.

I am starting to get a little more sleep at night and thus have more energy and the craziness is starting to begin. I am almost finished with phase 2 of the kitchen and already I'm drawing up plans for built in's around our fireplace with a new mantel, hearth and fireplace surround.

Dave is taking the twins to Idaho this weekend and I am hoping to tackle the built in's.

I know I'm crazy! I've just accepted that about myself.

coleman continues to be active getting himself from one room to another and over all is happy and sleep  8 hours last night without a feeding. Oh happy day.

Crawling/Standing

Coleman at 5 months started to pull himself around and one day I lost him! Keiton and I had been changing diapers with him in Keiton's room and we both when to through the diapers away. After a few minutes I stopped hearing Coleman's coos and asked Keiton to go see how he was doing. Keiton came back after a min and ask where Coleman was. I panicked and raced into the room only to not find him so I started racing through the rest of the house. My Brain and Memory especially is not running 100% these days and I thought maybe I had forgotten where we had changed diapers. Then I thought he must be under something. I race back to Keiton's room look under the crib and there is Coleman in the far back corner grinning at me.

At 5.5 months he pulled himself to standing and has continued to do so and had a few hard falls. I'm not sure I'm ready for him to be the mobile but here goes.

Coleman continues to be my angle baby and I am so grateful. I am very busy and very tired at the end of every day.

I have started a preschool co op with 4 moms in my neighborhood and my kids are loving our new learning center. I love the montessori method of teaching and have felt a lot of satisfaction in providing that kid of learning environment for my kids. Hopefully I can keep it all up.

I am hoping by the end of the month I will have 98% of by kitchen painted and ready to be put back togeather and left alone until be can afford to replace the window and finish the final stage of our kitchen remodel. It really has been a LONG hall.

3 munchkins

I'v got my gallery wall on it's way and here is the latest pic to add to the wall.

Seattle

Karlsven Family Reunion

 We had an awesome time at the annul Karlsven reunion.

 grooving with their own pair of sun glasses. Brille broke her's before we even left so her's are taped on one side.

 Thanks to Grandma K for all the help.

 love these

 Night ride on the four wheelers

 Both kids LOVED the wave runners. They both would say ready set go. FASTER

Dave and I went out together and I was able to through Dave off the wave runner which he was totally not expecting. Got to keep him surprised :)

 both kids had a great time figuring out the water guns and Brielle surprised a lot of people with her aim. She wasn't fond of getting shot at back though.

 Trevor helped be get up all the crown molding. It looks SO great. Can't wait to get these cabinets painted and be done for a while.