They are growing up!

 I just can't get over how much the kids are changing; how much they seem like little kids rather than babies now. I pulled out the Matchbox cars for the boys to play with (under supervision) and got these cute pics of Will.

David pushed the new MegaBlocks car (thanks, Piper and Sasha!) up and down the hall today just like Isaac always did when he was little, with both hands on the roof and beautiful leg coordination. All the other kids put the blocks and the driver in and took them out again. They know how to PLAY now.

Sometimes they don't know how to play the "right" way, though . . . David loves to stick his legs in the seat of this little car (below), but then he can't break free again! I rescued him as soon as I took his picture - I wanted to remember this funny little quirk of his!

Gracie and Marcie especially LOVE books still, but really all the kids enjoy reading. Their favorites are lift-the-flap, animal and noise-making books, so apparently they enjoy interaction.

Marcie showing Papa a block. They kids still love to build their towers!

Unfortunately, the kids don't just play with toys. Marcie thinks her hair + food is a great combination! She always rubs whatever she's eating into her hair, so when it dries it makes some pretty interesting hairstyles. It's definitely as effective as any mousse. This is one child who definitely needs and loves her baths!

Gracie is so verbal these days! All the kids are learning new words, but Gracie seems to learn quickest. David tends to use more sign-language (and very effectively), although he can say as well as sign "more," for instance. Gracie started saying "baby" and "'side" for "outside" this week. She says baby when I hold her in my arms and cuddle her, or when I am taking her to bed. She says "side?" when she wants to go outside and she's running around gathering the jackets for me to put on the kids. Marcie darted past her and out the door without a jacket on, so Gracie tried to take her a little pink jacket to wear and was quite concerned when Marcie just ignored her, so then Gracie handed it to me as if to say, "You try to get this on her, please!" She was saying, "Side? Side?" the whole time. The funniest, though, was when she saw a 4T sized shirt and decided she needed to wear that over her jacket before she would be fully ready to go outside. She brought it to me with her little, "Side? Side?" question, and was very happy when I put it on her. Then, and only then, was she ready to begin her outside play. 

David and Will like to attack their siblings with ecstatic love. Depending on the sibling and the prevailing mood at the time (tired or not, for instance), there is either a laughing, squealing roll-around on the rug, or a screaming, fussing "Leave me alone!" response, at which point either Isaac or Gavin or I intervene. Isaac is so much more protective of the babies than we are, it's funny! He is so concerned they will hurt one another on accident. He actually asked me to pray for him to to "have wisdom in guiding the quints" on the way to school yesterday. What a precious big brother! He takes his responsibility very seriously. Right now Gracie is his "favorite," although he wouldn't say it. She and he just have a real meeting of the minds, and she laughs and squeals with delight at anything he does with her. They tickle and wrestle - so cute! All the babies beam at him when he comes around.

Seth is walking all the time now, getting more and more steady each day. He has all these little games he plays by himself, like putting things on a high side-table and taking them off again. He also LOVES to see his siblings, smiling at them like he hasn't seem them in days and days when they get up from their naps. He charms everyone who walks through our door. He mimics my "airplane" sounds when I'm trying to get some food down him (he still needs to gain weight!!). He barks all the time he sees any animal, in books or in real life. And he keeps barking. And barking. And barking. :)

Guess that's it for now from here. I'm sure I'm forgetting some sort of cuteness; there's just so much of it!

Love,

Carrie

P.S. Please pray for my poor, cooped-up Dad! That's one of the hardest parts of this surgery. We try to get over there to visit, but it's not the same as him getting to run the babies to Costco or ALDI or sit in the chair here at our house to hold and feed all the little "birdies."