Well it's that time of the year again. Mommy's all across America are getting back their kids new school pictures. Soon facebook and blogs will be filled with precious photos of toothless wonders, mini mugshots, or if your lucky something in between. So in keeping with tradition, here are 8 beautiful little people and a little something about each one.
(Also in keeping with tradition, these are "pictures" of pictures, thus the fine quality. (sarcasm) just in case you were wondering)
Sydney is still growing taller, she's reached 5'8", but keeps hoping for 5'9". Syd's been playing basketball on the 4H club at school. She wants to try out for the basketball team in November. She LOVES playing volleyball. It's been fun to watch her progress over the last couple of years. She is steadily gaining skill and confidence. She is currently studying Spanish, but wishes she would have continued in choir this year. Syd turned 14 in August and was given permission to start wearing make-up, only lucky for mom and dad she really doesn't want to. (When does that ever happen?) I think she is satisfied just knowing that she CAN but knows that she doesn't really need to. Syd loves attending seminary. She still loves art. She can't wait till she can drive. She reminds us often that it's not too far away. We are really proud of the choices she is making and love watching her grow.
Kaylie will be a TEENAGER in just a couple of weeks. She is fighting her way through Junior High and is doing really well. She is a leader with her friends, and is so kind and thoughtful, also willing to lend a helping hand. She has a good group of friends and I rarely see the quiet shy girl she once was. She is becoming very independent and very responsible. She babysits a few days each week and is so good with babies, actually all kids in general. She just has a special touch. She is also a great big sister to her siblings. Kaylie just had her first violin concert last night and all the kids did great! I was impressed. Kay is enjoying the violin and Ken and I are thrilled that she is developing that talent. Kay will change so much over the next couple of years, I love this part of parenting-watching them discover who they are and where they want to go in life. I know Kay will go far. She knows what's important in life...people, not things.
Tyler will be 12 in just a few short months. 12! That means soon we will have 2 priesthood holders in the house. I can't wait to see this handsome guy passing the sacrament each sabbath day. Being a mom is really cool! Tyler is busy this year. He joined the fencing club at school with Emma. He's been enjoying flag football. He has just one game left this season. He is finding 6th grade challenging in the homework department but he works hard and is completing all his assignments. We are really proud of his hard work, he has improved so much. He is a kid with motivation and determination. Ty is enjoying being the 11 year old patrol leader in his scout troop. He takes his job serious and shows good leadership skills.
Emma is 9. I mentioned the following on facebook already but it deserves a special place in our family history journal. Emma received a perfect 100% on her Language Arts end of the year achievement test. She nearly did the same thing in Math, only missing 1 question total. She loves school. She loves to excel. She is a hard worker. She loves to read. She has a great imagination and loves to play with her dolls and stuffed animals. I love that she finds joy and beauty in simple things. She is the most thorough and organized girl I know. When I really want a job done well I give that job to Emma. I can always count on her going the extra mile. She sees things that are overlooked by other children, who shall remain nameless. Emma is the extremes of both seriousness and silly, goofiness. I love this girl. I have a prediction to make. It will takes year from now to see if I'm right, but I predict Emma will be the tallest girl in the family. I see a growth spurt in her near future and when she starts I don't see it ending until she towers above the rest. We shall see.
Todd...doesn't his face just say it all. Todd is full of energy, excitement and light. He is in the 2nd grade and just keeps improving. When Ken and I went to his parent/teacher conference we asked his teacher specific things about his behavior. She looked at us like she had know idea what we were talking about. She explained that she had no behavioral problems with Todd. Only that he doesn't like to write, he needs to improve his handwriting, and finishing assignments takes him longer than some of the other students, all of which I was well aware of. We are so pleased with his progress. Todd loves to be a helper. He is such a good worker. We just have to slow him down sometimes, he thinks he can do anything himself. Todd just recently became a cub scout. He is blissfully happy about this, and constantly reminds me that we needs to do service. I try to tell him that completing his chores is doing service for his mother, but he's not real fond of that kind of service. He is also looking forward to getting baptized in a few weeks.
Miss McKenna is stinkin' cute and dare I say she looks just like me! Just kidding, she is much cuter than me, though I do think she looks a bit like my Kindergarten picture. She is still just that perfect size to lift her up and have her whole body wrap around you in one huge squeezable hug. She is a good little snuggler and hug giver. Not to mention her kisses, they're to die for! McKenna enjoys Kindergarten. Her teacher says she is friends with everyone. I believe that, she is a little social butterfly. She has a style all her own and sometimes it just cracks me up the outfits she puts together. I've pretty much gotten over trying to make sure she matches or looks like she didn't dress herself. I like seeing her independence. I only put my foot down when she tries to wear tights as if they were leggings with nothing on over them, or when she attempts to wear someones shoes that are 4 sizes too big for her. Otherwise she is free as a bird to express herself in any mismatched, layered, odd way she wants. Except on Sundays, I put my foot down there too.(Stop judging me, I do have a reputation to protect. I have to at least fool a few people into thinking I have some order and control over my household). :) To put it simply, McKenna is just a peach. A yummy, delicious, sweet, juicy, nectar of life-kind of peach.
Speaking of delicious...don't you just want to eat him?! I like this kid. He is my baby boy stud-muffin. Only he's nearly 4 so I guess I have to stop calling him my baby. He really is growing up. Oh, how I wish he came with a volume control button, but since he does not I'm just glad he's so cute. This boy is crazy, feisty, loud, destructive, messy, demanding, and boy does he melt my heart. Nothing feels better than his little body curling up next to me in the middle of the night, at least for 30 seconds until I want to go back to sleep, or until he pee's on me. But for those first 30 seconds he's like a peace of Heaven. Daric is a small tank if you haven't noticed. He loves to eat, and it shows in all the right ways. (I'm not trying to give him a complex) Bulk looks good on him. I think he's going to be our very own BYU football player. We're already trying to work a deal where he gets us into all the games for free, he's still thinking about it. I think he's holding out on us until we agree to a life-time supply of ice-cream. We'll see.
Baby Aftyn is almost 21 months, which is almost 2, which is crazy because she was just born. She can't be almost 2, can she? Aftyn is trying really hard to talk, only it comes out in lots of little mixed up babbles. She know what she wants but not being able to tell me equates to a grumpy little girl sometimes. She is learning to throw some baby fits. But she is still our bright patch of sunshine each day. Everyone loves to wake up to love from Aftyn. She gives sweet kisses. I don't know another baby who has so many people to dote and love on her each day. Aftyn loves her baby dolls and acts just like a little mother to them. She has two little girl dolls that she carries around like little twins. I often think about the day that she will know that she is a twin. I would love to have her brother here, toddling around with his sister. Oh, that would make a for some crazy, fun times. But, oh how lucky I feel to have this little sweetheart. She is makes me smile.
Well, that took way too much of my day. But writing about the things that are unique and special about each of the kids just leaves me feeling twitterpated and blessed. I really do have the greatest job in the whole world.
