ScrumpyDaddy

In January Dave and I went to a local casino for some fun on my birthday. I had some free play there since it was my birthday month. We only ever play the penny slots and never win very much, but this time it was different. We were playing the penny slots and every so often we would hit the max bet button, which bet $2.00. Luck was with us, one time Dave did it and he got free spins. Then it just started racking up the points. Overall Dave ended up winning $400.00. We finally decided what to do with the money. We got some new lenses for our SLR camera. We had been desiring something other than the kit lens for a while. Here are some pics we took last night and today with our new lenses. All I have to say is loving them so much!

Zach is now 3 1/2 years old and just like his sister he is growing like a weed. My mom and I recently went to the thrift shop (best place for kids clothes since they grow so fast) and got Zach all new pants and shirts. I can’t believe he needs 4T clothes and could probably fit into 5T shirts very comfortably. He is now 3 feet 5 1/2 inches, which just seems crazy to me because he is only a 6 inches shorter than Abby and she is 3 years older than him.

Zach is a very active boy. Sometimes it is hard to contain all his energy. I wish I could bottle it up and sell it as an energy drink. I would make millions. We are definitely thinking about starting him in gymnastics this summer. He loves to be upside down and bouncing all around with his sister. He also got to join Abby for one session of her gymnastics and he had a blast.

Zach is definitely into the more boy oriented things like blocks and trucks. When we go to the library all he wants to get out are books about construction sites and trucks. He is also my future engineer. He loves making mazes out of his cardboard bricks and building towers with his other blocks. He also loves to work with his tools. He wants to be like Daddy fixing things around the house.

I have really enjoyed being able to stay home with Zach and seeing all his creative side while playing. He definitely loves to play with Matt and I, but he does well playing on his own too. His favorite things to do on his own are play the computer, play dough, and play with his trucks. He received several large trucks for Christmas this past year and he is itching to get them outside where he can play with real dirt and sand.

Zach really enjoyed seeing real trains at my uncle’s house, my mom’s house, and at a local garden store near my mom.

Zach is starting to learn all his letter and numbers and loves to point out wherever he goes the letter and numbers he sees. He is also proficient at typing his own name on a keyboard. It is funny how technology has changed some things. He can spell his name on a keyboard before he can write it himself. I am just proud that he knows how to spell his name and where to find them on a keyboard.

Zach loves to play dress up. He was superman for Halloween this year and loves to fly around the house playing “flying Zach.” That game is good for mommy too as it makes her carry Zach around and around the house and of course he prefers if I run. Zach’s favorite tv show is Jake and the Neverland Pirate (on Disney Junior) and for Christmas this year he got a little dress up kit for Jake. He loves to make maps and go on treasure hunts as Jake. He changes each time who he wants me to be.

Lastly, Zach is a boy of many faces when there is a camera around and sometimes a boy of no face for the camera.

Here are some other highlights of Zach since the summer.

So much has changed since the summer with all three kids so I would like to highlight each one in their own post.

Abby is now 6 1/2 years old and growing like a weed both physically and mentally. She is 3ft 11 1/2 in and very muscular. She has way more core and upper body strength than I do. I completely attribute that to gymnastics. She started gymnastics last spring and has progressed well. She moved up in the fall from their pre-school program (which is 3-6 yr old) to level 1. Gymnastics goes from level 1 to 10 with 10 being like Olympic level for those of you with no gymnastics background. I would say she is the strongest at the uneven bars and needs the most work on the balance beam. Even though they work hard and focus on specific skills she still smiles through the Thursday night hour long practice and looks forward to it each week. She even just chose gymnastics over an ice cream social at her school. She told me she would rather go to gymnastics and she gets a snack afterward anyways.

Abby is in 1st grade and loving it. She is learning so much. Unlike kindergarten she has homework and takes tests just about each week that go along with the story they are reading in class. She has 10 spelling words she has to learn each week along with 6 vocabulary words and what they call high frequency words. I can’t believe how much she is learning and how fast. She can read just about any book she picks up now. During our story time before bed she will often help me read at least one of the books she chooses. She also loves to read to her brothers, especially Matt.

Abby is also very creative. She loves to make up songs and sing along with the ones she knows. We often will have a dance party night and just put on some of her favorites to jump around to. Right now her favorites are Taylor Swift We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, Goyte Somebody That I Used to Know, Carly Rae Jepsen Call Me Maybe, and PSY Gangnam Style. She also likes to put on her own performances. Abby and Zach did a “Rock On” concert for Dave and I. Abby played the electric guitar (from band hero) and sang and Zach played the drums. She also took the acoustic guitar my mom brought from home (I used to play it as a kid) to her room and played with it for about 20 minutes making up songs. Wish I could have recorded it, but I didn’t want to disturb her creative process. I definitely see music in her future. Yay!

Abby also loves art. She will often come home from school and immediately ask for paper to make a project. We go through a lot of paper and glue in this house.

Here are just some other highlights of Abby since the summer.

I was ready for winter to be over and the snow to be over. When I woke this morning the landscape was covered in it. I thought oh great more snow and cold. I dreaded walking Abby to the bus stop with the boys expecting it to be a mess and cold, but actually it is really beautiful out there. Enjoy!