Ava is 5 months old

Ava Kate turned 5 months old on Friday, July 24. She is such a sweet baby. She smiles at everyone and brightens your day. She is the perfect baby...except for sleeping...she is not understanding the concept of sleeping through the night in her bed. We are going to have to have a little talk about this. ;) By 5 months, almost all of her pretty dark hair has fallen out. I wonder if it will come back in dark like Cooper's or light like Drake and Sophie.

No more training wheels for Cooper!

Cooper learned to ride his bike without training wheels today. He is doing really well, but still needs someone (Mark) to run along side him so that he doesn't fall when turning. Mark is getting a pretty good workout teaching Cooper to ride.

Swimming

We have been going to the pool a lot this summer and the kids are really having fun. Cooper has decided he can swim. He is doing really well, but he can't swim as well as he thinks. He makes me very nervous, but I know he has to do this inorder to swim without a life jacket or floaties.

Ava Kate eats cereal for the first time

Ava Kate ate cereal for the first time today. She seemed to like it. I was surprised at how well she did. I am just hoping it helps her sleep through the night :) UPDATE...It appears that the cereal did not help her sleep through the night, instead it made her stronger. She rolled over onto her stomach for the first time in her bed the same night. The next day she continued to do her new trick, even though she cried once she was on her stomach.

Drake is 10!

Today, Drake is offically 10. We had a weekend of birthday parties to celebrate. Yesterday, we did a "family" party and meet up with Drake's dad and his family for bowling and games at Fast Lane. We all had a really good time.

Nana and Ava.

Sophie picked out her own bowling ball. She chose the pink 14 pound ball and carried it up to the lane all by herself. She doesn't seem to understand why we were all laughing.

Drake's Uncle Chip and Papa.

Here is a photo of Drake's cousins James and Amanda, his Aunt Becca and his NeeNee. I remember when Amanda was born...now she is leaving for college. Before I know it, Drake will be doing the same. :(

Happy Birthday Drake!

Drake had a couple of his buddies (Brandon and Todd) over today to swim and then camp out at our cabin. I took the boys swimming then we all went to the cabin for cake and presents. It was late, so I brought Ava and Sophie home to sleep and left Mark and the boys there. I bought them all new Nerf guns and as I was leaving, they were preparing for a battle. Once I made it home, I called back out there to let Mark know the girls and I were safe and Mark was COMPLETELY out of breath. He said "this battle is serious!" They were ALL having a great time :) Happy Birthday Drake!! It is hard to believe that you are 10. A whole decade old. Wow, time flies.
I got all the kids "Flarp" which is noise putty. It makes thoses "noises" that little boys think are SO funny. Sophie got some pink Flarp which she used as a pretend cookie.

Cooper got to stay for the party. Feeling like a big boy.
Getting ready to battle.

Todd and Brandon at their posts...ready for a gun fight.
Double digits...ten candles...take a big breath Drake!






Boy, these boys sure have gotton big.
Drake, Brandon and Todd....buddies!

Last T-ball game

Tonight Cooper played his last T-ball game of the summer. He had a blast! He was on such a good little team with some great coaches. We all really enjoyed it. He played a great last game and got 2 home runs. After the game the coaches brought them cupcakes with their numbers on them and then gave them medals. He is so proud of his medal he doesn't want to take it off.

After the game with his medal.
Sophie trying to steal the limelight at Cooper's disgust. (btw, both kids were clean before we left for the ball game :)

Move Sophie!!!

Good job Coop!

4th of July

We spent the 4th of July with Mark's family, swimming, eating and visiting. The kids had a blast playing in the pool. Cooper loved keeping up with the big boys. Sophie just loved splashing around being her cute little self. Ava Kate didn't enjoy it so much at first. She cried for quite a while, but then she calmed down once we took her dress off and let her cool off. It was her first 4th of July and she and Sophie were dressed in matching dresses. I tried to get a picture of the girls in their dresses, but Sophie was not to happy about getting her picture taken.


Everyone wants to hold Ava.


Madden and Michael Dossett...cousins
I LOVE this picture of Mark and Ava.
Madden up close :)
Miller and Sophie Dossett...cousins
Cooper with his cousin Matthew
Miller Dossett is such a cutie pie!
This is how Ava spent the first 45 minutes at Grandmas Dossett's on the 4th.
Bathing beauty.