2020 life

So my Mom reminded me of the fact that I even had this blog at one point and I suddenly felt really sorry that I hadn't continued to share all of the fun memories from my kid's youth. Sooo, I'm thinking about starting to post again. How fun to look back and realize how little my kids were! I love hearing their tiny voices on video and wish I had more good videos. 

Well, we're in 2020, a year I probably won't forget for a while. Good 'old coronavirus has changed our world for a while, and hopefully not permanently. My kids have done very well, but I also haven't scared them about the virus b/c from what I read, it is totally unnecessary. 

My kids are now 9,7,5 and 3! No longer can I rattle off 2,4,6,8 :) 

Blake and Sadie are actually in "in person" school, which I'm very thankful about. They do enjoy going to school, although they are long days. During Thanksgiving, they had 5 virtual days, with school only in the morning and Sadie said she was excited to see her teacher's face! She had seen it, but not for long periods. I didn't really even think about that! They were both glad to have shorter days and after the first day they came down zombies, so during their break the following days, I made them do jumping jacks, push ups, run around the house, up and down the stairs, wall sits, etc. They loved it and would run down at their break and ask what they were supposed to do. Everyone needs to get that blood flowing. Maybe I should have Scott do it as he's been working from home since about March. 

Tanner is in preschool and Savannah talks about how much she lover "her teachers." The only "teachers" she has are via a video post from Awana Cubbies and BSF (Bible Study Fellowship). She would have had those in person, but you know, 2020. I guess she also calls the nursery folks her teachers, but what she is really doing, is trying to be "big" like Blake, Sadie, and Tanner. Tanner is in preschool and loves it. During our conferences, I was told he always comes in with a big smile and a story. Whether it is true or not...well that's another story. 

Here's some first day of school pics b/c it seems appropriate, haha. 

Blake was just thrilled to be taking pictures...

Hate she has to wear a mask, but her teacher let's her wear a face shield!

Tanner wanted to take one of me holding his sign, so here ya go :) 

Thanks Mom for reminding me about this blog and even short updates are better than nothing, right!?

Savannah Belle

Oh Savannah, I am sorry you won't get much blog time, being the fourth child. But, 9 months after your birth, I do feel compelled to share your birth story before I forget about it.

Like all the Miles children, you were born after your due date, which was September 12th. I was hoping that you'd be born on the 15th or before so that we could choose whether to send you to kindergarten at 4 (almost 5), rather than wait until you were 5 (almost 6). Scott says that we shouldn't rush you into school, so was against inducing for that purpose.

Well, turns out you decided to come on the 15th anyways :) On the 14th, I was quite sure you were about to make your appearance. I was having a lot of regular contractions, and since I'd done this 3 times before, I was sure I was in labor. I called Ann Kinney, who was our back-up in case Bob couldn't make it in time. Ann quickly made her trek to Cedar Falls, IA from Minneapolis, got in late, and stayed the night. The contractions stopped after I went to bed, naturally. Now I was feeling a little pressured to get things moving b/c I felt guilty for having called Ann and didn't want to waste her time. Well, it was a fairly uneventful day with me taking walks and such. Bob arrived later that day and that's when my contractions started again. I stayed in the living room and chatted a bit, but of course, no one can tell when I'm having a contraction, so I just sat there without saying much. Scott would occasionally ask me how I was doing and I'd tell him I was having consistent ones. He suggested I go to bed, which was a great suggestion. I did, fell asleep, but was woken up with more contractions and we decided to head to the hospital in the middle of the night.

Upon arrival, with Scott pushing me in a wheelchair, the nurse asked me how many kids I've had, could tell I was in active labor, and immediately admitted me. I was very thankful for this b/c when Sadie was born, they put me in triage to check me and took their sweet time while I was in very hard labor. I was not happy about that. Anyways, the labor pains were all too familiar, meaning they hurt like crazy. I just didn't have the energy to decide to do a natural labor, which I would have preferred. I was told I could get an epidural very quickly and that it just too hard to pass up! I agreed, got my drugs, and relaxed. My water broke on its own and with just a few pushes, Savannah was born by 8 am. We were able to call Bob and Ann and tell them the news and they had just discovered we weren't there! Our beautiful baby was born with no complications and I was so thankful for that. I had some Mom guilt having an epidural with Tanner b/c he had the cord wrapped around his neck. No one knew that, b/c it didn't show up on the ultrasound, but nothing like that happened with Savannah.

We sat contemplating the middle name for quite a while, and finally had to decide on one the second day in the hospital. We sure do love you little Savannah Belle Miles!

11 Months Old - Tanner

Man was it hard to get a good photo of this squirmy little boy! He is fast approaching 1 and keeping us on our toes. 11 months and not walking is difficult when outside b/c if the grass it wet or we are on concrete, crawling isn't the best mode of transportation! Or conversely, if we are on dirt or sand, a little boy who puts everything into his mouth shouldn't really be allowed on the ground. Sooooo, it's hard and he won't tolerate the walker for very long. He does love being outside though--just not contained, stroller included, if it isn't being pushed. Tanner, you crawl, you coo, you wake up a couple times at night still, you get into everything, and you stole our hearts. 

Not a bad one! 

Just sit still and look! 

Pushing him back into the seat and quickly snapping the picture. He thought that was pretty funny :) 

And this was difficult. He tried to grab this every chance he got!!!!

So, we had to resort to this :) 

Love you baby! I think I call him baby more than Tanner...or baby Tanner :)

Big boy Blake - lots of firsts

Where do we begin? Our preschooler, Cubbie, big brother, selfie loving, swimming, social little boy???

I think the sign says it all. :) 

Checking out the school with his family

After the first day--being silly with his name tag. 

Swimming lessons!!!! He has come soooo far this year. Early in the year, he cried being carried into the water. After a Mommy & me class where we just introduce them to the water, he was ready for swimming lessons. Now he swims into the lake with his life jacket and jumps off trampolines! 

Engaging a young boy in a race at the beach. The kid was running into the water several times, so Blake just positioned himself next to the kid when he did it again and raced him while he ran. Sometimes we meet kids who aren't as interested in him, but he tries. The kid did it a couple times, but then stopped even though the adults with him encouraged him to continue b/c it was so cute having Blake race him. :) 

Jumping off the trampoline!

Racing in the kids big wheel race. He is fast! He would have won had he had a bigger front wheel like some of the others. They have a real advantage, but he was trying the hardest!

His "slightly" too large tye dye shirt from VBS :) I made Sadie's b/c she was too young for VBS

Blake made us take a picture of every dinosaur at the zoo :) 

But still loves his teddy bear :)

He also loves music but won't sing for an audience typically. So, here is a taste of him singing at home :)

Blake singing "Who Built the Ark"

Sleeping, silly Sadie

Our Sadie has given us a run for our money with her sleeping. Thankfully, it has gotten a little better, but she fought bedtime pretty hard for a while there. She still hates it, but has maybe given in a little?? We also got her a big bed mattress b/c it seemed she was uncomfortable on her toddler one. Also, she moves around so much that she needed bigger. I'm thinking of going with a king size soon...j/k. We also find her in places other than her bed. Last night I had to get up with Tanner (venting about that is for another day) and I think I stepped on her hair while I was going towards the stairs. She was inbetween the stairs and the bathroom and I didn't see her. I just heard her moan a bit while I was walking down the stairs and that's how I realized she was there! Mind you, this was the middle of the night!

Here are a few places we have found her, although her favorite is just going into our room to fall asleep, and then we move her when we go to bed :) I can't seem to find a picture of one of those times, although I'm sure I took one!

Sleeping outside her room, feet up on her door, water bottle in one arm.

 She had a toddler bed, which she would fall out of, so we added another mattress on the floor. When we switch to a big mattress, we doubled up the mattresses on her bed for a few days and shoved it against the wall. We found her like this:

On the bed, under the shade

Another view: must have been looking out the window, then fell asleep

At the top of the stairs

Halfway under her bed...

Next to Grandma at Grandpa and Grandma's house. She much prefers someone next to her when she sleeps. 

She used to strip all her clothes off, including her diaper, so every night we'd go in and dress her back up. More recently, she would just take off her diaper and then put her pants back on, so we'd have to go in and make sure she was still wearing a diaper before we went to bed. Most recently, she usually leaves the diaper on, but rarely do we find her in the clothes we put her to bed in. She always changes after we leave. :) Such a girl :) The diaper removal we found the hard way--let's just leave it at that ;)

She also loves a funny face! Here's a few :)

Funny face!!

Silly girl (she was copying Blake on this one)

Blake and Sadie goofing off with the camera in Mommy and Daddy's room (Blake took this) 

And this.

Funny face!

Oh whoops, she didn't want to take a picture here, so she put her face on the table :) 

Probably her favorite silly face

Oh, and did I mention she has a mean stink face too? 

Silly photo with brother Blake :) 

She love this :) 

Fun with banana in her mouth