Our Girl is Five Months!

Genevieve turned five months this week. She is so much fun! Here are some milestones/updates....
- Genevieve is always trying to make eye contact and smiling and laughing.
-She still loves to hear her voice and capture your attention.
-She continues to be a good sleeper usually going to sleep around 9:30 pm and sleeping in her crib until somewhere between 4:30 am and 6:30 am, nursing and then snuggling with us for the rest of the night. We try to put her in bed when she is still (half) awake and she usually falls asleep though we sometimes have to go up and put her nuk in her mouth once or twice in the first 30 minutes before she goes into a deep sleep.
- She usually naps in her crib for 1-2 hours once a day (I think 2.5 hours is her record!) and the rest of her naps are in the car or her little swing (often with the hair dryer on....she falls asleep when I dry my hair and stays asleep as long as the dryer is on!).
- Genevieve is finding her fingers more and more and sucks on her thumb when she can get it in her mouth.
- She is more and more interested in little toys that she stares at for a little while and then puts in her mouth and chews or sucks on.
- Nev still has no teeth that I can feel but a fair amount of drool. Grandma thinks one tooth broke through last week and maybe swelling covered again. I am sure the teeth will really pop out soon.
- Nev loves the attention she gets from her brothers and sister and they are great at getting her to laugh and smile. They all love getting her to belly laugh!
- She can sit up for a couple seconds but then falls over.
- Genevieve is so very close to rolling from her back to tummy.
- Genevieve is a very happy baby; she is almost always good in the car but if I run errands all afternoon (so she's in the car seat a lot), then pick up kids from school and we sit still in the pick-up line for 10 minutes, that is the time she may start crying because she's had enough of the car seat and she may continue for 10+ minutes. That is really the only time she cries for more that a few seconds.
- Genevieve is still just nursing (about every 3-4 hours); no solid food yet but she seems somewhat interested in it lately. She is starting to grab at things when she sits at the table with us!
- She spends a little while each day in the exersaucer, swing and jumper.

We love our sweet Genevieve!!

And here's a good shot of Willem playing soccer (yet again) in the yard. Will started a soccer skills training class with Little Metros and is loving it! He takes it so seriously. I can't wait to see what 'moves' he shows me everyday!

3v3 Tournament

Today was the 3v3 soccer tournament with five Konyn/Ficek teams! Gabrielle played in her first real tournament and with eight teams in her division her team did great winning all four games leading up to the championship which they lost in a close one 3-4. I was so proud of Gabrielle and how hard she worked fighting through back spasms which started in the semi-final game; she wanted to keep playing despite her obvious pain. Cade's team (Jack, Tristan, Rory & Cade) played up an age group and were a respectable 4th out of eight teams though Cade struggled with not beating some teams he thought his team could beat. Cousin Pascal's team played well in the upper U11/U12 division winning one and keeping it close in the other three games. Cousin Selene's team was in the upper U11/U12 and took the championship! And, finally cousins Meleesa and Athena played in their first tourney getting some good experience and had fun. We all got lots of sun and Willem and Genevieve were troopers hanging out at the soccer fields all day. Willem loved being out there but wants to play next year!

Gabrielle working her moves!

Great job, Girls; runner-up! Gabriella, Jorja, Christina, Gabrielle

Cade working hard

Cade working the moves!

Cousin Pascal

Cousin Selene

I also wanted to add a picture from Mothers' Day of Genevieve and her Grandma...

Jacoby Visits & Amber Takes Pictures!

I love it when Amber comes to visit and it's even better when Jacoby comes along! Jacoby has changed so much since I saw him last over a month ago. He turned one year old and started walking! Amber stayed for the afternoon and, as always, it was a busy one. We got to visit and chat for a couple hours then headed off to get my kids from school and then were off to James and Jenn's house to coach Gabrielle, Athena, Meleesa and other girls for the 3v3 tournament coming up this weekend. Amber took lots of pictures with her new camera and visited with James, David and other parents while Jenn and I coached (mostly Jenn!). After that we went to Papa's Pizza to hang out with everyone and then finally to Cade's basketball game. It was a perfect, sunny Spring day made even better by Amber and Jacoby's visit!

Genevieve in the grass

Genevieve & Jacoby

Jacoby & Mariah

Jacoby & Athena

James & David with me coaching from the sidelines with Nev

Talking to my girl

Our Cutie Pie!

Here are some pictures of Genevieve taken April 23rd (she was just over four months old) by Nancy Gowins...

Mother Daughter Tea

This afternoon my girls and I went to a Mother/Daughter Tea Party at the school (tea parties must be the thing this year). Genevieve was not in the mood for pictures but I got a couple good pictures of Gabrielle. What a gorgeous, sunny day today!

Me and my Elle

Christina, Jorja & Gabrielle

Willem also had his last soccer game today as did Gabrielle for her 2nd grade team. Here are some team photos...

Gabrielle's Last Soccer Game

Tonight Gabrielle's 3rd grade team, which I coach with Jennifer, played their last game of the season. It was against the top team and the only team we have lost to this season. We couldn't overcome the strength and athleticism of the other team and we lost 4-1 but our girls played very well, out-passing their opponent and just playing good soccer. Gabrielle got the lone goal off a great assist from her cousin, Athena. The girls ended the season with a 4-2-2 record in the upper 3rd grade league. After the game we went to Putters for pizza, trophies and lazer tag!

Elle clearing the ball at sweeper

Gabrielle is looking so tall to me!

Athena fighting for position

Athena dribbling through players

Go Jorja!

Jenn talking about Gabrielle's tough play this season!

At Putters, Genevieve was mesmerized by the contents of Julie's purse!

This is so Genevieve, just hanging out and taking in all the activity

Cade also played a game this afternoon in the Little Metros league where the club has asked his U10 team members to fill in on various teams. It's been a little frustrating for Cade because he was put on a weak team to try to help them out. I was very proud of him today because he encouraged his teammates and did not show his frustration on the field. I thought he was just taking it all in stride realizing that this was just good practice for him. But as soon as the final whistle blew he came to me and said, quite emphatically, that he was NEVER playing with that team again and that is was SO frustrating! He was getting hacked at the whole game, always had three or more defenders on him and though his team tried, it was tough to get much support. All the while he was trying to hold himself together and it was eating away at him that they were losing. At least he is learning to control it on the field!

I got a few good shots as I was trying out my new camera:

Mothers' Day Tea With Willem

Willem's class hosted a Mothers' Day Tea Party today. His class spent a lot of time preparing for the event. Willem reminded me about it daily for over a week and last night he said if I forgot to come he would give me a football when we got home and he would tackle me :) Too cute! He made me a corsage, sang a song, performed in a little play (Will was an alligator), served me cake and drinks and gave me art work and a gift. It was a lot of fun!

I also got the best Mothers' Day gift ever from Cade today. It was a two page letter he wrote telling me how much he loved me. He said he loved me so much that he would give up sports for me (that's big for Cade!) and he detailed a lot of things that we have done together that I didn't even know he remembered. It was one of those melting my heart moments! I am a very lucky mom!

Zoo Snooze

Cade and Chad returned today from an overnight trip to the Portland Zoo with Cade's 3rd grade class. Cade had a great time and said tonight that he wished he could go again. I asked him what his favorite part was of the trip and he replied, "Everything"! They got to feed animals, check out the animal hospital and go behind the scenes at the zoo. Chad survived the night sleeping on the floor and says he had a good time as well. It is Gabrielle & my turn next year!

The 3rd Grade Class

Feeding goldfish to the otters

Checking out the elephants

Water exhibit

The bird ate out of Cade's hand

More Genevieve

In case we don't have enough pictures of Genevieve....
We had another photo session tonight :)
We Love Our Sweet Girl!

She's been really discovering her tongue lately!

Sweet smile!

Genevieve is 4 1/2 months

Love the little chub!

Kindergarten Orientation

Usually on a post like this, moms will say that they can't believe their child is going to Kindergarten soon but somehow, for Willem, I CAN believe it and he really is ready to be in Kindergarten. It is probably because he is so comfortable at school now and because of all he is exposed to with older siblings. Also he is such a big boy and is one of the older kids in his class. Willem is definitely ready for Kindergarten in the Fall. He will not be one of those kids holding on to me on the first day of school! It was exciting for me to learn about the new curriculum at the orientation and Will had fun with his Pre-K buddies and his current Kinder friends. I will miss having Willem home half the school day next year but it is nice to know he is ready for it!

Willem in the Kindergarten class

Willem and Jackson, his best buddy in Pre-K

Willem with his Kinder buddies, Brett & Treysn

Such a happy, easy-going guy! Love you, Willem!