Sleepover Madness

For Avery’s tenth birthday we decided to test new waters and host a group sleepover (we’ve only ever had cousins or one friend over before). Avery invited half a dozen of his favorite people for pizza & cupcakes and to watch Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Arc.

When I was Avery’s age I recall staying up until 4:00 a.m. with my girlfriends. And there was another occasion when I woke up my hosts’ parents at midnight because the girls decided to play “Bloody Mary” and I was convinced bloodshed would ensue (I’m sure the parents loved me after that). I figured either Avery’s sleepover would go without incident or I would receive my just payback. I’m happy to report the night went better than I imagined! By 10:30 p.m. the boys were zonked, and they slept a full eight hours before casually rolling out of their sleeping bags. In the morning they played Indiana Jones on the Wii, which Avery had received as a gift. What a sweet group of boys!

Michael, Seldon, Avery, Sebastian, Hayden & Logan


They love each other!






Posted in avery, us | Comments Off on Sleepover Madness

Avery – 10 Years Old!

Birthday season at the King household is in full swing right now. Avery celebrated a big milestone, turning double digits last week, and he is the coolest ten-year-old I know. It’s been a big year for him, becoming the oldest of four children, getting a little sister, and earning new privileges and responsibilities. He’s thriving and is such a fun kid – sweet, smart, sensitive, and always has his nose in a book. He enjoys basketball, cub scouts and parkour, tolerates piano lessons, hates craneflies, and wants to be either a sailor, engineer or programmer when he grows up. We love you Avery Liam!

With his big birthday gift, an electronic keyboard. We like the headphones, he likes the sound effects!
  

Grammy and Papa stopped by in the afternoon to celebrate

A fake $100 bill!

Layla on the move

Just like his father he likes Baskin Robbins ice cream cake


Last night as a nine-year-old

Posted in avery, Avery Birthday, us | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Avery – 10 Years Old!

Layla – 9 Months Old

Layla turned nine months old this week. She crawls now and tries to pull up. She loves to talk, clap, wave, give hugs, dance to music, and be the center of attention! And did I mention this girl likes to eat? She’s pretty much over baby food (who has time for that?) and wants whatever we’re eating. She loves fish, chicken, eggs, cheese, yogurt, beans, rice, tiny fruit  & veggies, chocolate mousse and Girl Scout cookies (a benefit of being the fourth born is that your parents relax a lot).




      

Posted in us | Comments Off on Layla – 9 Months Old

Silas Turns Five

It seems like he was just born, but Silas turned five at the beginning of the month. He is such a little ray of sunshine — so cheerful, smiley and expressive — this boy really wears his heart on his sleeve.  Of course he loves anything his big brothers are into, but he really enjoys art, dancing, gymnastics, animals, babies, and TALKING. These qualities make him a notorious ladies man, but he doesn’t let it go to his head (or even seem to notice). I had this to say about him on his birthday:

Five. Our baby boy turns five today. It is so fun watching our sweet, precocious, positive, sunny Si grow up. Today feels a little bittersweet though. Between our three boys I’ve spent the past decade learning about construction vehicles (who knew there were so many), emergency services, trains, superheroes, bugs and dinosaurs. I habitually alert the boys when we see a vehicle of interest while we’re in the car, or if we see policemen, firefighters, or military personnel in uniform. I’ve accumulated hours watching construction zones and waving at garbage men with little boys or chasing them on their bikes with a stroller. Sometimes I get bored to tears reading Tonka books to no end. Now my last little boy is getting older. He will start kindergarten in the fall, learn to read, and soon trade in these sweet little boy things for video games, Pokemon cards, and sports. I look forward to every stage, but can’t help feeling a little sentimental too! We love you Silas Tristan and you’ll always be our baby boy!

 

Silas received Wii Minigolf from his brothers

He invited a few of his nearest and dearest to his party at Kidz Bounce

They didn’t have fun at all

Clare & Layla

The gang

Silas requested angel food cake with berries and “whoop cream”

It took him a while to blow the candles out and the big “5” fell off the cake and onto the platter while he kept blowing the others out. Jonathan and I briefly panicked, but all was okay.

With his gal Charlotte

With Xander

With Charlotte

With Bode & Deacon

With Louis & Emmett

With Ethan

With Caden

The three amigos

Last night as a four-year-old!

Posted in avery, kieron, us | Comments Off on Silas Turns Five

February 2017

Here’s what we were up to the rest of February. Auntie Ashleigh came for a visit at the beginning of the month. The kids loved seeing her!


Kieron and his buddy Louis

In the tree fort at Swenson Park

A little pre-bedtime madness for Daddy

Avery loves his lil sis

One day Layla was screaming during her nap. I came in and found her like this. Poor thing, but it was kind of cute!

The King and the Maresca boys out for a bike ride. And look! Blue sky!

Kieron at his basketball game

High-fiving his coaches after a fun season

A quiet moment before dinner. It’s like this at our house all the time 😉

Science with Kieron

Silas tried karate with Kieron in February. He was excited to participate with his big brother, but after a month he decided it wasn’t for him just yet.

Kieron has some powerful kicks and punches!

Avery likes to help feed Layla

She likes it too!

“Mmmm, this hat tastes good!”

Silas’ last night as a four-year-old

Posted in avery, kieron, us | Comments Off on February 2017