FIVE

Well, now that it is a week past Grace's birthday, I realized that I never did her birthday post!  Things were crazy last Sunday...and never seemed to slow down. Such is life anymore.

Five years ago at 6:43 pm with the late afternoon sun coming through the window in the hospital in Yreka, CA, our little princess entered the world. Grace Olivia, arriving 8 days late on Sept. 21st. She had the chubbiest cheeks I've ever seen on a child. We think that's where a good portion of her 8 lbs 13 oz was :) She was our smallest baby.  Here's a look back at our diva - she keeps us all hopping!

And here's a look back at the post introducing Grace to the world via the blog...the only one we had a blog for when they were born :)

2009

2010 

2011

2012

2013

2013 - during her party...and after

2014

In her birthday dress in our front yard before church last week...she didn't think I'd get it done in time, but I did :)

She's celebrated her birthday in a different house each year since 2011 - Etna, Fort Jones, Grants Pass and now Merlin...we plan on celebrating many more here!

EIGHT

At 10:31 on the morning of Sunday, August 27th, Nathaniel Kenneth Charles Lee arrived. Five days late, 3 weeks of contractions, a long night of labor, but he was here!  All 21 1/2 inches and 9 lbs 6.6 ounces of him. He has grown into such a loving little boy - always ready to give a hug, the child who is most willing to share with his siblings or anyone, often gives up his spot on the floor or the table or wherever so his sister can sit where she wants. He is an avid reader and his creativity is amazing. He has his moments of orneriness and moodiness, but overall he is awesome!  For the first time in three years we aren't moving on his birthday (we started around mine this year, so we're mostly finished :)) Moving has been hard for him, this last year it was most difficult for him to start at a new school and it took many months and a lot of prayers to get comfortable and adjust. But now he's ready to start third grade next week and hang out with old friends and make new friends. And he is excited about starting Cub Scouts and most importantly, being baptized a week from Saturday!  We love our little Monkey Boy so much!!

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2010

2011

2012

2013

2013

2014

2014

2014

2014

2014

SUMMER!!!!!!

School's out!!!There's 70-some days of summer vacation... 

On to third grade....

Seventh grader...how is it possible?!?!

Had to edit it tonight...Brian emailed me a bunch of pictures from his phone today...here are a couple more from the last day of school...

TWELVE

Twelve years ago on April 30th, our first "little" bundle of joy...all 8 pounds 15.9 ounces and 22 1/2 inches of Joshua Ammon finally arrived. It totally does not seem like it can possibly have been that many years already. His blue eyes are now green, his feet are the same size as mine, he will probably surpass me in height in the next couple of years, he is a great trumpet player, excellent student, loves to read, a terrific big brother, a First Class Boy Scout, he has adjusted well moving from California to Oregon, is excited to go to Young Men for the first time on his birthday, will be ordained a Deacon on Sunday...wow...my baby is growing up so fast. 

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Toothless

No, not the dragon :) Nathaniel finally lost his first tooth last Saturday.  Seven and a half years old and he thought he'd never lose one. Joshua was the same way a few years back. He was about 7 3/4 when he lost his first one.  Anyway, Nathaniel was a trooper and worked on that tooth a good part of Saturday afternoon and evening. Finally, about 830 he decided that he needed some help to get it out because it was hanging by a thread (he kept asking me to show him the thread or string that I kept saying it was hanging by...cute kid). 

 

Finally getting to use the loony bird tooth pillow Grandma Lorrayne made him for his birthday!

Another finally - he filled up his jewel bottle - now to decide the reward for that!!
Each jewel represents choosing the right, or doing something difficult that he really didn't want to do, but in the end decided to do (lots of make up homework when he was sick, taking antibiotics when he despises medicine, getting that tooth out even thought it kinda' hurt and wasn't fun).

 

 

 

 

 

And here he is, cute little Nathaniel at about 6 1/2 months in March of 2007 with his first tooth (which is also the first one that he lost).

And here is a post that mentions that first tooth coming through...seems like it was just yesterday, not seven years ago!
http://leehappenings.blogspot.com/2007/03/oh-yes-oh-yes-its-springtime.html
That was on his Great-Grandpa Ken's 79th birthday.