The "dreaded" 4 year old appointment

Gosh, I was so nervous to take Ezra to his four year old appointment. I had heard such HORRIBLE things about it from EVERYONE. So, of course, on the day of his appointment, Brent gets called in and I have to take all 3 kids by myself. I also had Elynn's 6 month appointment scheduled for the same time, too. Before the appointment I forewarned Ezra of the shots. I didn't know if that was the best idea, but I think that really helped. I know that if I wouldn't have told him, he would have really started crying when he heard the word "shot."  When it came time for it, he just looked at me, sat on my lap and did so good! He got 3 shots in his arm. He didn't cry when he got the shots, but cried for maybe a minute after the shots were done. His arm was sore, but not pain. I let him have a sucker and all was better. He weighed in at 38 1/2 pounds (75%) and was 3'6" (75-90%). He looked like such a big boy getting weighed and measured. They also took his blood pressure and checked his hearing and eyes. He passed the hearing test and has 20/20 vision!
We are so thankful for our sweet healthy boy.
The appointment went so well and was very easy, even with Elynn's 6 month appointment!

Elynn: 6 months

My baby girl is 1/2 a YEAR!! How does that happen so fast!?! My sweet girl is so SQUEEZABLE! I love to squeeze her 24/7, and I DO! She is HAPPY ALL THE TIME! She is still getting over a little sinus junk, so I do not have a 6 month picture to post yet, but even though she has been a little under the weather, she is still so happy! She would wake up with such gunky eyes and once we wiped her eyes clean, she gave you the BIGGEST SMILE! Love her, love her!
Her 6 month appointment was great. She weighed in at 17 pounds, putting her in the 75th % for weight. She was 26 and 3/4 long which put her in the 75th-90th %! She reminds me more of when Ezra was a baby. She is not as big as Ezra was, but has those lovely rolls and round shaped head with her Lindig cheeks and lips!
She is such a growing girl. She grabs everything. She loves to sit up and when you put her inclined on her back, she tries so hard to pull up to sitting. She can rollover all over the place and loves to do it. She is a talker, but at the same time, she will just sit and watch Ezra and Emersyn. I am pretty sure she is taking it all in, and then one day she is going to start talking and walking like she has been just waiting. She definitely has her daddies laid back personality. We just love her and are so thankful for her!

I will post pictures soon, when her allergy/sinus stuff dies down.
I just started

Grover: The Hermit Crab

 

Ezra and Grover (look how excited he is!)

Last night I had just finished putting Elynn, then Emersyn, down for bed and I was going to get Ezra to have him start his bedtime routine. (Usually we do this all together, but last night, it worked out a little different.) He comes running in with something in his hand. He was so excited. He had been outside with Brent doing yard work, so I thought, but our neighbors had come out to talk. They had just gotten back from Florida, after being there for a week. Their present to Ezra was a LIVE HERMIT CRAB! I am SO NOT one to have things like this. I am scared they will get out and get lost in the house, or, better yet, PINCH YOU! He was so excited. I couldn't tell him "no". So, it is 8 already and now we have to make this thing a house to sleep in. I went upstairs and got a wipes box from Elynn's room and cut out the side and made roof. While I am doing this, Ezra goes outside and collects grass and the "perfect rock". I asked Ezra what he was going to name his new pet and right away he said, "I think I am going to call him, Grover!" What a great name for a hermit crab! Needless to say, I was NOT to excited about our new addition, grover, but I was excited that Ezra was so excited. It was fun building the house with him. After Grover was settled and in Ezra's room, I was giving Ezra a quick bath before he got in bed. He looked at me and said, "mom, what was your favorite part of the day?" I thought for a minute and said, "Well, I had fun swimming with you guys today." He smiled and replied, "Ya. But, my favorite part of the day was making Grover's house. Was that your favorite part of the day too mom?"
So sweet! How could we not love Grover!

 

Grover!

 

Grover's temporary home. We will have to get a real home and food for him, I guess.

Update on Me

I wrote a couple of weeks ago about my Endoscopy. All that came up was mild reflux. I was supposed to have two more tests run to look at the function of my Gall Bladder. I ended up only doing the sonogram. The other test, The HIDA scan, involved a radiation tracer sent through my vein as they watched work through my body and determine the function of my gallbladder. I am still nursing Elynn, so I decided that would not be a good thing to do while nursing. The sonogram came back normal. Everything looks good. I just have mild esophagitis/reflux in the lower part of my stomach. I have to make just a few small diet changes and that is it. I have already been doing the small diet changes for a week or so and see a big difference. God is good!

Ezra is FOUR!

My sweet, little, first born, and ONLY baby boy is FOUR! Gosh. It went by so fast! I can't believe that already four years ago, I brought my little bundle (and I mean LITTLE. He was 6 pounds!) home. We were so full of excitement  joy, LOVE, fear and nervousness all at the same time. We had no idea what to expect. In a way, I guess you never really know what to expect with each new year and stage. We are loving the age he is at right now. He is so sweet, loving, full of smiles and laughs and such a big helper to me and his sisters. He loves his sisters, but constantly asks why he doesn't have a brother! Ha! He loves being outside playing in the rocks or sand with his trucks, hitting baseballs with brent, playing catch, running bases, doing the zip line, hitting golf balls, swinging  ANYTHING sports related.
This year he has learned so many new things. From 3 to 4 is a HUGE year. He went from baby talk to talking about anything and everything and asking "why" constantly. He can pump himself on the swing, swim all by himself, hit the baseball if it's thrown to him, hit a golf ball, catch a ball, write his first and last name, identify some of his letters and numbers, get dressed all by himself (and match). So much. He is constantly wanting to do everything by himself, reminding me how old he is. Oh how I love this boy so much!

Here are some pictures of the last FOUR years!

Four

Three

Two

One

( I can't find his newborn pictures on our computer!!)

My grandma came down to celebrate Ezra's birthday with us on Wednesday. We took Ezra to Toys R Us and she let him pick out his present. I thought he was going to go in the store and want Everything. This was NOT the case. We were in Toys R Us for TWO hours!! He had to see everything before he picked a toy. It was so funny. After shopping, we picked up Chick-Fil A and brought it home so we could play with the toys. It was such a fun, special day. Thank you, Grammy! We love you!

Showing Grammy how his car works

Emersyn showing off her new outfit from Grammy

His pick from Toys R Us. Two leapster games and a Pixar Car 2 Car

We celebrated his birthday this year by going to Fredericksburg for the weekend. We just had Brent's family over to cookout and eat cupcakes and ice cream. Originally, Ezra wanted to go out to Uncle Johnny's house to ride four wheeler's and go fishing, but unfortunately, a lot of Uncle Johnny's catfish died recently. So, we went to Oma and Opa's and had all the Eilers' cousins over. There are 11 cousins total. It was so much fun!! 

Playing cars. One of the MANY things they did!

The cupcakes

Singing Happy Birthday

Blowing out the candle

Gifts and cards

Before we headed to Fredericksburg, Saturday, we let Ezra open up some of his presents with just us and doughnuts!! 

Yes, his presents were wrapped in christmas paper!

His new bow and arrow!

Bow and Arrow practice

Endoscopy Day

Today at 11, I am going in to have an Endoscopy. I have been having some stomach pain (for a while now) and have finally taken action and gone to a Gastroenterologist. I had to do some blood work, which came back negative and normal. So, now I have an Endoscopy so they can look in my stomach and see if they see anything. My dad has Chrone's, which is hereditary. If anyone would get it, it would be me because I have ALWAYS had stomach issues. I had my appendix out when I was in 6th grade.
I was pretty nervous about this procedure because I have to get and IV to be sedated during the procedure. However, I am claiming two verses for me Phil. 4:6-7 and John 14:27. I have also been lifted up in prayer by family and friends! Now, I am just hoping and praying Elynn takes a bottle while I am gone!

Funny thing

So, do you notice the picture at the top of the blog? That is a family picture we had taken recently. Well, everyone always says that Ezra is an exact image of Brent. I have MULTIPLE people tell me that they walk EXACTLY alike. I never really noticed it (probably because my hands are pretty full and my focus is on where everyone is, not HOW they are walking), until people started pointing it out. Then we got this family picture back and it made me laugh. Brent and Ezra are stepping with the exact same leg, the exact same way and even have the EXACT same facial expression! I love it!! Just thought I would share.

Fourth of July

We had a Great Fourth of July weekend! It started out with the kids and I heading to Johnson City to surprise my Grandma for her 70th birthday. I know, she is YOUNG! Ha! My whole family along with my grandma's best friend, Cindy, all were there for the surprise. We then headed to The Oasis for dinner and cake. It was my first time eating at The Oasis and I loved it. The atmosphere was so nice. We sat outside on the deck, which was a little warm at first, but then not so bad. It was fun being with my brother, sister, their spouses and my niece and nephew. We don't get to do that as often as I would like, so I always Love seeing them!!

My sweet little Elynn and I. (only pic I have of the night)

The kids and I headed home Sunday from JC. We got home, unpacked, took a little nap then headed to the Garrison's for dinner and a swim. It was a fun night with our good friends.

Monday, we celebrated July 4th with our neighborhood. Our neighborhood had a small parade. They even had a fire truck to lead the parade and judges to judge best decorated bike/wagon. Ezra rode his bike in the parade while I walked along beside him. After the parade, everyone got a snow cone! Elynn and Emersyn were sleeping so they missed out on the parade. Next year we will decorate his bike!

everyone gathering to be in the parade

pretty good crowd

Judging 

our little parade (see the firetruck in front??)

After the parade, we had a little bit of "quite time" to get ready for our neighborhood swim and bbq! The neighborhood had burgers and hot dogs at the pool, along with swimming and games! It was a really good time. Great way to celebrate our independence!

Ringling Brothers Circus!

Last Thursday, Ezra and I went to the Circus!! It was BOTH of our First times going. My dad and his wife, Joann, treated us good seats, hot dogs, drinks and a toy! It was a great time and Ezra LOVED it! I must say, I did too!!

Ready with a "tiger" snow cone and light up toy!

Body Benders

6 Motorcycles going at one time in this sphere!!

Motorcycles were Ezra's favorite part

This Elephant is holding a basket with a dog in it.