Snuggle Bug

I had a secret wish that I would have a super cuddly baby this time, and at least so far it seems like my wish came true. Grady is a great snuggler! And he is so patient with all the cuddles and loves he gets from his siblings. (I just realized I don't have any pictures of Keaton with Grady. Although Keaton is always giving Grady hugs and kisses, he never sits still long enough for me to catch it on film! I guess I know what my next top secret mission needs to be.) I hope Grady's cuddly-ness lasts a long, long time!

Saddle Club

Delaney has been begging us to let her take horseback riding lessons since last summer. We didn't know how serious she was (especially since she's had no exposure to horses, so we didn't even know if she would like being around them or if she would be scared). But her requests have persisted, so we finally found a place for her to give it a try. She joined the "Saddle Club", a six week introduction with six girls age 7-11. Every Friday night we drive an hour to her instructor's house in Emmet. They spend two hours learning how to care for, ride, and train horses. Then they go inside for snacks, a horse-themed movie, and more instruction. Delaney has absolutely loved it!

We have been totally shocked to see how confident she has been once she gets up on the horse. On her first lesson, she was trotting with her arms outstretched, showing how well she was balanced. By her third lesson, she was in complete control of the reins, following her instructor's horse and turning, stopping, and backing up on demand. Delaney's instructor, Gerilynn, is really great with the kids, and has made the long drive worthwhile. We are so proud of Delaney!

Aunt Monica's Visit

We were so lucky to have Aunt Monica come visit for four days during Spring Break. We really appreciated her help with the new baby, but appreciated even more the way she entertained all the other kids. They just love playing with Aunt Monica, and who wouldn't? She's so much fun to be with, and she makes everyone feel so special!

Thanks, Monica, for giving up your vacation time to join in the chaos that is our life. We love you!

A Barbie Birthday

My baby girl is seven years old! (Where did the time go?) Delaney wanted a Barbie birthday party, and thanks to her cousin, Katie, she got one! Katie brought over bins and bins full of Barbies, clothes, cars, a Barbie mansion, and all manner of fun Barbie goodies. Then it was time for Barbie birthday cake, some Barbie presents, and the party was a hit!


Here's our birthday girl all dressed up in the Barbie Princess dress Aunt Heidi gave her. What a beautiful girl Delaney has grown into. We are so grateful to have Delaney in our family!

Big Brother

Mason's reaction to the new baby has been a pleasant--and hillarious--surprise. Rather than acting jealous, he is just so stinking excited he can hardly contain himself! Every time I feed Grady, Mason climbs up on my lap to smother him with kisses. And if you even mention the word baby while Grady is asleep, Mason will run to the door where he is sleeping, pound on it and call out "Baby? Baby? Baby!" He really is a sweet big brother.

Here is one of Mason's sweet (but blurry) kisses.

Smothered with Love

It's a good thing this kid is a good sport! He is so patient with all the kids as they hug, kiss, squeeze, snuggle, and otherwise smother Grady with love and affection. Everybody wants to be in on the action, so Mom's lap is pretty crowded these days. That's okay--crowded is good. I wouldn't have it any other way.