Borrowing a Daughter

I am surrounded by boys and everything boy (balls, cars, video games, etc.). We have one pink crown at our house and really that is for Gavin's best friend Avery. So, it is fun for me to borrow my niece and go to the American Girl store with her, the epitome of all things girly. Maddie just turned 8 and for her birthday, just her and I got to go to the Mall of America to the American Girl store. We bought a Ruthie doll (from Maddie's parents), a couple sets of doll clothes (which cost more than the outfits I buy for the boys), and we had Afternoon Tea at the Bistro. Oh, and with the remaining $10 Maddie found some $8 glasses for Ruthie, she tried very hard to find something for exactly $10 as it was hard to leave any money "left over".

Ruthie, Maddie, Kit and I at the American Girl Store.

Maddie and Ruthie waiting for our Afternoon Tea.

We have a Crawler

At 9 1/2 months Wyatt is finally a crawler. He started moving on Tuesday and now he is all over.

Fun Fourth

We spent the long 4th weekend up in Melrose. The weather was great for the lake. Warm and not too windy. The boys played hard in the water. Gavin was Fred's most frequent boat passenger and most often fell asleep on the rides, which might clue youin to how long boat rides with Fred tend to be. We went to the Ward Springs parade again this year, but it may be our last as the parade has dwindled to almost nothing. We participated in the boat parade on Big Birch, where again Gavin napped while the rest of us snacked and tried to avoid getting sun burn.

Wyatt went in the lake for the first time. He loved splashing around.

The Jeske grandkids in their giant sunglasses at the Ward Springs 4th of July parade.

The kids did some fishing off the docks, luckily we got this picture of Jacob's fish before it jumped off the hook.

Gavin wasn't so sure about his fish.

What a Difference 3 Months Makes

Wyatt at 6 months versus 9 months. He gained 2 pounds to weigh in at 22 pounds 12 ounces (75th-90th percentile) and grew over an inch to measure 28 1/2" (50th percentile), which really makes him look big. His head measured 18 3/4" and put him in the 95th percentile.

Wyatt has been rolling around, has finally figured how to sit up from laying, and has been working really hard on crawling. He got his first tooth (bottom left) on the 21st. He's sleeping pretty well, but likes to eat at about 5 am each morning, but usually goes back to sleep. His brothers now how to make him belly laugh and he's very good about hanging out at all his brothers' activities, toting his brothers around, and hanging out at the childcare at the community center while I work out. His tricks include clapping, "so big", and saying "hi" (ok, its not quite hi, but almost). He enjoys hanging out on my hip, playing ball, chewing on anything that looks like a remote or phone, and swinging.

Here are a couple recent cute pictures of Wyatt:

Wyatt loves splashing in the tub and hates getting out.

I was trying to catch Wyatt's funny fish face he makes, but he wouldn't let me. Being the ham he is, he would only smile at the camera.

Hanging out at a soccer game.

In Costume

Gavin has been really into costumes lately and for some reason thinks that I can just whip him up a costume of his choosing at anytime. I cannot, but often promise that Grandma Nancy can. However, I have seen that these fads fade about as quickly as Grandma can make a costume, so we've taken to construction paper costuming.

Jake (Gavin insists on being Jake, which makes it confusing when he also insists we address him as such) and Cubby (Jacob) from "Jake and The Neverland Pirates". Gavin's costume consists of an inside out cowboy vest as his pirate's vest and a light saber as his pirates sword.

Luigi (Jacob) and Mario (Gavin) with their Crayola mustaches.

Yoshis from Super Mario Brothers. The only requirement for the Yoshi costume was that they have spikes down their backs. I have found out that their costume requirements are easily satisified.

Princess Peach (Gavin's best friend Avery) and Mario (Gavin). I started to make the boys Mario and Luigi hats, but they were satisfied with the visor portion of the hat, so we called that good. When Avery came for a playdate, it was only fitting that she be Princess Peach with a purple (her fave color) visor. Gavin has been wearing this paper visor everywhere and getting lots of compliments on it. It is looking a little worse for wear at this point, but I'll just make him a new one next week.

Soccer Season Over

Jacob really enjoyed soccer season. I loved that it required a lot of running. He had a game each Saturday, usually in the rain. His team was rarely on the winning end. Adrea asked him once if he'd won his game and he said "No." (not upset by it at all). Drea responded "well, you win some, you lose some", Jacob said "yeah" and after thinking for a couple seconds he said "actually, no, we never win." Luckily he enjoyed the games regardless of the outcomes. The season ended with a "Jamboree" where they played two games (one of which I think they won) and got to go on a couple bounce houses and play some other carnival type games. Gavin also enjoyed all the side line soccer he got to play with the siblings of Jacob's team mates and with Fred and I. He'll be so excited when he gets to join a team next year.

Jacob running a soccer drill.

Jacob and Parker. Two of the Green Stripe Gremlins. Jacob and Parker met (or their moms did) in the Special Care Nursery when they were both preemies.

Jacob in action at a game (he's in the middle).

Fred's Birthday

Fred turned 34 on the 1st of June. We celebrated with cake and ice cream and he got some more lilacs for the hill in back of our house.

Schools Out

Gavin was done with his ECFE preschool at the end of May. He had two awesome teachers this year. Miss Anne and Miss Carol loved the kids so much and were so great with them, I wish they taught older kids too. Gavin got to spend the year with his "best friend" Avery (sitting to the right of Gavin), so he was usually game to go to school. He especially liked the days when I got to play with him in the room for a while, which I did each Wednesday and he had drop off preschool on Mondays. Next year he is moving on to 3 day a week preschool.


Jacob was done with kindergarten on the 9th of June. He really enjoyed school this year. He came a long way in reading and writing. Developed some math skills. Still needs to work on some self control. He didn't always enjoy riding the bus because of the "meanies" and thought the teachers at Club Care were "bossy". We have toured the elementary school he goes to next year and he's excited for that move, especially because of the rock wall in the gym.