Mr. Mess Improved

He's still messy.........but....at least he's doing some productive messes now.  He mentioned the other day that he missed messing in water, but knows the girls are watching so he doesn't do it anymore.  Isn't he a sweetheart.  He wanted to make pancakes, sausage, and eggs for lunch........I know Ash and Thatch.....I know......."she never let us cook in her kitchen".....I may have never had such a PERSISTANT child before either!...it's easier to let him cook ....and then clean up the mess.... than outlast him in his pleading, and number of reasons he should be able to do something....especially if it involves a handy power whisk!

 Iley was sitting on a chair looking at a book....I think Wren was under the desk sulking cause I'd run her out of the work area.

He did these all by himself.

And the pancakes...directions read....stirred up...and cooked by the chef.

Thanks Sherm:)  It was all pretty good! 

And our healthy supper of hotdogs and garden squash.

 Summer time:)

Big Bro Thatcher giving them a ride.

Waiting her turn.......with drama of course!

Stopping to pick something......that's important ya know.

My turn!

Thatcher said she screamed FASTEEEEEEERRRRR  most of the ride.

 

Wren loves to kiss us all.

These boys do SO well at loving on her!

Ahhhh!  Two with one shot:)

 Our next pitcher?  She had just thrown the base ball to Thatcher.

 She wore this hat all evening.  Wren saw hers and Kyndahls and wanted one too.  I told her hurry go get one....we were getting ready to take a walk.....she took off for the house.......and must have got distracted, cause she came back carrying a skate board??? 

Climbing on the empty propane tank.

 Hang on to them Wren......you MIGHT be able to keep them from falling ya know...silly girl.

Stopping to pick again!  She'll have something bleeding before the nights over.

 Harrison:)

 Why do I have to stand here mom?......Just because  I said so Iley.

 

 OK I'm DONE now!

 We found 2 of these lovely critters on our walk!  Thatcher was messing with the first one and it bit his finger!

 Hitching a ride back cause "my legs are TIRED"

Riding off into the sunset??

 Love these kids!  One Blessed Mama.

FISH!!!

These two girls are fish!

 That's Wren swimming face under.

 A little help from sister.

Ready to head down the slide:)

This sweet boy wanted to go down the slide with both of the girls.  He played with them most of the time he was there.  He was 6 also.  He stole my heart......a foster child staying with a family in town.  He is just here for a short time in respite care.  He was a sweetheart.  Sweet boy, in spite of the hand he's been dealt.  I'm thankful they are in a home, at least for a short time......that will show them your love and teach them your word.

 I can NOT even believe the difference in the girls' swimming from last year to this!!  They would barely leave my side, and Iley was quite happy in the baby pool........this year.....they BOTH  jumped off that big board in the background.......with NO life jackets or floatation........and swam to the edge!!! AMAZING, crazy little brown babies!!  I don't have pictures because I was in the water ready to rescue them......pffft.....they didn't need mom!  They started out with these swim belts off the low dive.......but quickly decided once they had jumped in to mom, and swam to the edge without them.....that they were a bother.

 Wren always jumps with abandon......

 Iley jumps and is stiff as a board!  Even her toes are tense!

Abandon........

 ........every muscle tense............

The little boy in front of Wren is the one who is 6 and went down the slide with them.  He is quite a bit taller than Wren.  

 Kids crack me up!  They have no personal space bubble!  I've heard that penguins crowd each other in a pack up to the edge of a cliff......finally pushing off some unlucky bird.......if a shark doesn't eat him, the rest know it's safe to jump in......(aren't you glad for a little trivia...you're welcome:)).......anyway moving on.......the diving board lines reminded me of this:) crowd crowd crowd....don't dare let anyone in front of you......and .....(until it's my turn on the board,  then I'll walk to the end look slowly back up and then go)......HURRY UP!

 Wren about did herself in when she tried copying my dive.  Poor baby gave it a valiant effort....she always does things with wild abandon.........before I was even to the side of the pool, she'd taken a running leap..........and .....belly flopped!  NOT a happy camper for a bit.

 Iley......stiff as a board again!

 another HUGE mile stone...this time last year....they  NEVER would have been able to haul themselves out of the pool over the side.  They didn't have the muscle tone, or the coordination.

 .

......and abandon.........

She never came up at all after jumping!  She swam the whole way to the ladder like this!

AMAZING!!!  Thank you LORD:)  I was also amused watching them sign to each other....Iley signed to Wren that  it was her turn for the goggles......and Wren shook her head at her very bossily, and signed NOT YET:)   She said it in context.....with attitude:)LOL  LOVE IT!!!  Wren asked me Where's Iley?  then before I answered her she signed Potty?.......yep! again.  But.....she went totally by herself!  When praying tonight we thanked God for our soft beds....we always have many interruptions....and Wren pushed on her bed and signed soft?  I said yes!  and your bed is soft, your blanket is soft....but the table is hard......not the same....hard, soft.....different.  She listened the WHOLE time and seemed to get it!  I am signing more and more to her.....whole sentences with connecting words.....she is paying much more attention, and seems more interested.  Thank you God!!  She is initiating more and more signing all the time.

Sorry if you all aren't interested in all this, but I write it so I won't forget where we are, and how far we've come.  Please continue to pray with us that she will have complete understanding and language.  Thank you dear friends.