Addison's 5th birthday party

We were headed to Minneapolis on a Friday night for Addison's birthday. Doesn't everyone comb their hair with their feet? He stayed awake almost the whole ride, he fought through the sleepiness and wouldn't give in. Ha! 

Thought we should take a family photo as Addison's schools seem to constantly want family photos and we have very few! 

This little guy didn't like a lot of people but he has warmed up to Grandma Rita a little bit. I have to take advantage of any moment I can for photos! 

Addison's 5th birthday party! She was pretty excited for balloons and to go to Tracey's. Gifts were probably 4th, after cake. 

She got a lady bug suitcase and backpack from Grandma & Grandpa, she is dying to go on a vacation! 

We were so excited that Reagan and Erin could come visit! I am that it works out every once in a while when we are in MN :) 

All the kids! 

Mason was being nice!! :) Have to get pictures when he lets someone else hold him - ha! 

She got to go to Walmart with Tracey to pick up her cake. The baker let her go back to the kitchen and asked if there was anything else she wanted on the cake. She said a sun, and so the baker added a sun while Addison watched. Addison thought it was pretty cool! Addison was so excited to turn 5 and rainbow colors are her favorite. 

 As I'm typing this, Addison and Ryan are doing addition and subtraction flash cards. Trying to get this girl reading for Kindergarten! 

Happy 5th Birthday

The day FINALLY came. Addison had been waiting 6+ months for this big day. FINALLY she was turning 5 years old! She told me "I'm a whole hand". She was probably the most excited about her '5' balloon :) 

This is her excited face - ha! We used the same decorations as last year and the hat from school. She's so easy :) We made funfetti waffles for a special birthday treat. She was going to school that day and took cookies with sprinkles for the little school and Rice Krispie treats with M&M's for the big school. They sang to her at both schools and then she went to swimming lessons that night. She told her swim teacher it was her birthday and then they had the whole pool stop lessons and sing to her. She thought that was so cool!! We have been going to lessons almost 4 months and I've never seen them do that for anyone else! 

Birthday picture before she went to school. She was wearing her rainbow shirt and rainbow pants, she had this outfit picked out for days. And she wore her "birthday shoes". So these are shoes that we picked up at a garage sale and they are pink & purple tennis shoes. Perfect for school. We had gotten them out of the tub earlier in the week and planned to wear them on her big day. Two months later, they are still called "my birthday shoes". And she announces to everyone when she wears them (teachers, coaches, store clerks, etc). 

 

Birthday Sundae

We met Grandma Rita & Grandpa Ron at Hickory Park for Addison's birthday lunch. She was so excited for Hickory Park and getting a birthday sundae. She also got a few little gifts from Grandma & Grandpa, she thought it was great! 

 Then we took her to the new miracle park. She thought it was a pretty special day! 

One of my favorite outfits on the little dude! He's almost a year in this picture. He has 6 teeth and loves to eat. He isn't crawling but scoots everywhere on his bottom. He's gotten pretty good at scooting and is pretty fast. 

Addison is showing off her little bear that she got from Iowa Radiology. Her doctor ordered a CAT scan. Addison did great at the CAT scan and got this bear from the staff. She was so excited. She had been experiencing headaches, low fevers, and vomiting roughly every 3-6 weeks. Sometimes we get a little longer in between. We have been keeping track of them for a year or so. Then this past winter, she would get sent home from preschool with a headache and fever, and they would make us go get a COVID test. UGH. We knew it was probably just her "regular headaches". Poor kid had like 3 or 4 COVID nose tests. I said if she was told to take another test, I was keeping her home. It was ridiculous. Hopefully we are at least out of the woods with the COVID tests anyways. No answers on the headaches, fevers, vomiting, but we did visit another specialist. Hopefully we can figure something out! 

First Trip to DQ

So after we went to the Animal Learning Day, we were planning to go to Hickory Park for Addison's birthday. But since we got the free meal at the Animal Learning Day, we decided to take our first trip to DQ instead. It's been quite a while since Ryan or I had been to DQ, so we were pretty excited too. 

Addison & I shared the peanut butter lovers (Reese's peanut butter cups and peanut butter sauce). It was super yummy! Ryan had a turtle blizzard (or something with pecans). Addison thought it was pretty exciting and now notices DQ whenever we drive by. 

This little guy didn't get any ice cream or pet any animals at the Animal Learning day.... but he still had fun (we think anyways). 

He doesn't love grass, but when he has pants & socks on he at least tolerates it! Addison hated grass for the longest time! 
 

Animal Learning Day

ISU had an Animal Learning Day at the Hansen Ag Building. We had never been before but had heard good things. Right when we walked in, there were two giant turkeys. And they were gobbling. I thought it was cool :) We found out they were the two turkeys that President Trump pardoned last Thanksgiving. Names are Corn & Cob. 

I tried to get her to pet the pigs, but she wouldn't. But she would get close enough for a picture. 

She was pretty excited to sit up in the tractor by herself. After this, she told us she would pet the horse. I couldn't believe it. So I was holding her and we went to pet the horse. I was petting the horse's nose and then he whinnied. LOUD. It scared both of us!! So she didn't pet him and we moved on. Ha! 

Then we couldn't believe she told us she wanted to milk the cow. So Ryan went with her. The girl explained what was going to happen. 

Addison chickened out but Ryan did it! 

Addison did hold the chick though :) She said it tickled. Thankfully she held it long enough for me to get a picture! 

We also got to see sheep, goats, cows, and dogs. Just didn't get pictures with all of them. 

 Then we got a free lunch. We had a little picnic in the grass outside the ag building. They gave us some yummy pork burgers, chips, granola bars, fruit snacks and waters. Addison did a number on her giant pork burger. Mason loved the bottled water. It was a fun day, we will definitely go again next year! 

11 month photos

Little dude was not sleeping well at 11 months. Kid wakes up a ton! Like probably 5-10 times a night. It went on for what felt like forever. He loves playing catch and when Dad runs a truck over his head. He shows some attitude when we take away things he shouldn't have. 

Swinging at the park in my goofy hat. Addison wanted to push him. 

 I'm not sure what's going on with Addison's crazy face..... but I do know that buddy had a stomach bug. He was getting sick a ton and you never knew when it was coming. We went for a walk in the old stroller in case he got sick on the walk. It was not fun. Then I got sick. Then Addison got sick. We had to cancel Mason's baptism :( Then Ryan got sick. UGH!! It was a long long week......

Easter Church

She built a train and wanted me to send a picture to Grandma Rita. She loves building things and could do this over and over again. 

Church was open for Easter this year! We had to make reservations but we got in. We met Grandma Rita & Grandpa Ron at church. Addison was excited to go to Easter service with them. There were no other festivities at church due to COVID but at least we got to go. I'm glad we got this picture and Mason let Grandma Rita hold him!! Grandma Rita is about the only person Mason would let hold him without crying :) 

Addison was excited for the red, white, & blue sprinkles that Grandma Rita put in her Easter basket. She loves sprinkles! Mason thought they were pretty fun too. 

 Their loot from Grandma Rita's Easter basket. Addison was excited for her cheese popcorn and individual cakes. Mason got a new Cubs jersey and some snacks. Addison was just as excited for Mason as she was for herself! 

Apparently I didn't take any pictures Easter morning. Addison was really excited for her Easter basket and to hunt for Easter eggs. She wanted a chocolate bunny really bad.... and got 3 of them! She had eggs full of money and candy, she was pretty excited. 

Addison loves to take pictures with Mason. She loved that they were "twins" in that they were both wearing zip up sweatshirts. 

School Pictures

We had school pictures in April at the little school. We have used almost all the dresses/outfits in our closet for photos already! We have some dresses that are 3T that still fit :) So we decided to wear the flag dress and a jean jacket. And of course, Addison chose her cowboy boots. Why not?! Ha! I thought she looked pretty darn cute. 

I wasn't planning to order pictures this time, but they were pretty good. So I ordered one. :) 

 More basketball! We were surprised she got off the ground when she jumped. She tried hard but still struggled to get the ball to the hoop. We would watch basketball on TV and tried to teach her the game. She has picked up on what offense and defense is pretty quick! 

Painting eggs and Easter Egg Hunt

    

 She was so excited to wear this dress with a pocket and hood. Although, she tells us "no hoods at school" Sounds like she's been told that before :) 

 

She was pretty excited for the Bondurant Easter Egg Hunt! She only got one Reese's and a lot of salt water taffy. What a weird candy to put on an Easter Egg Hunt! She even got her picture with the Easter Bunny and wasn't scared at all. 

She wanted to paint eggs again this year. We painted eggs in 2020 due to COVID and not going to the store. So we got out her paints again and she had a good time. She told me she wanted to make a silly face in the 2nd picture. 

And yes, she is wearing her St. Paddy's day outfit :) 

In the 2nd picture, she is pointing to her black Easter egg. Her favorite colors are black and rainbow. ha! Ironically, she was wearing her "rainbow dress" jammies and a black shirt underneath. It was cold but she wanted to wear her jammie dress. 

She had fun painting eggs and it was easier than dying them! Ryan insists that we put them in the fridge and eat the hard-boiled eggs because otherwise it's a waste of money :)