Christopherson Clan

Bragging on Riley

2012-02-03T19:22:00.000-08:00

We went to Riley's conference last night, and got a glowing report! Mrs. Bergeron said she is a delight to have in class (wish I could be a fly on the wall in her classroom). Riley is now reading at a 7th grade level!!! She is also performing well and above grade level in math and spelling but not 6 grade levels ahead. Riley just LOVES to read, she routinely asks for books rather than toys and is usually reading more than one at a time. So we brought her home a book from the book fair to let her know how proud we are of her for being a good student.

What's in a name?

2012-02-02T07:27:00.000-08:00

I'm not really sure where I come up with the nicknames that my kids get but I love how the other kids get on board and use the names too! I also think that the kids know they are special when I use one of their nicknames, notice I said one of, they all have multiple. I will list a sampling of them below:

Riley: button, peanut, cakes, riley-cakes, riley roo, roosa, ri-ri, risa

Nora: nori, nora boo, nora rini, norsie

Samuel: sam, sammy, sam boy, samster, sampson

Ian: ian monster, "e", e bo-bo

One of "those" days...

2012-01-20T13:25:00.000-08:00

I'm having one of those days today...

The one where I get a text saying Riley's ride to school can't bring her this morning so I have to swing by (but not really swing by because it isn't on the way) her school before I drop Nora at preschool. I think to myself, no big deal we've done this before. As we are frantically dressing for the super cold weather I smell something and ask, "did someone fart", they all deny so we continue getting ready, a few seconds later I hear Nora say as she shows me her mitten, "I must not have wiped good enough", sure enough her mitten has all the evidence I need! I scoot her downstairs, jacket and all and have her undress, change her underwear and I help wipe her behind.

The morning entails me holding Ian or he is crying and even most of the time I'm holding him he's crying. I drug him up with some ibuprofen and think about checking his ears.

Samuel has just now decided he no longer needs to nap--this is the same boy who over Christmas, just one month ago, couldn't hold it together and was the king of crabbiness because he had lost out on too much sleep. So he is talking, jumping, singing, and throwing things in his crib. Not sure when he'll figure out that he can climb out. Hopefully not soon!

Ian has finally laid down for a nap but it doesn't last long....
Need to check those ears soon.

I'm doing laundry and when I go down to switch the loads I realize I never put laundry detergent in the load I just took out and put in the drier--rewind, put that load in again, this time with detergent.

I take a look at Ian's jammies and they are filthy, I realize just how dirty my floors are, YIKES! I like to pretend that my house is not that dirty.

Did I mention it is Brian's birthday and the cupcakes I made didn't turn out very well?

I'm surprisingly calm about it all--must be because I have these kinds of days often...

GOOD!

2012-01-13T09:14:00.000-08:00

It 's a simple word but it made my day yesterday, I asked Riley how school was that day and she said, "good" and continued right on with her playing. It may not seem like much but the start of first grade has brought about more stress in this house than I care to have in my life. Starting first grade wasn't something Riley was excited about and the transition left us all struggling to know what to do. She has definitely improved since September and I would say that school is something Riley tolerates rather than enjoys. So a simple "good" sure made this momma's day!!!

Sweet Sounds...

2012-01-12T15:01:00.000-08:00

Every once in awhile the planets align and what I hear are the sounds of content kids playing...
It is happening right now...

Riley and Nora are playing PipPip and Chance, Sam is playing with his cars, and I'm holding Ian getting kisses at the stove making dinner. I'm just soaking it all in, it will probably change soon...

Date night!

2012-01-12T12:31:00.000-08:00

It is my turn to take Riley on a date tonight. She wants to go to Barnes and Noble for a book and some hot chocolate. She asked if Ian could come with us tonight--I told her "sure it was her decision"--when asked why she said "because Ian gets sad at home when you're not there" what a sweet big sister.

2011-12-15T14:00:00.001-08:00

From Nora:

While helping me with Ian, "Mom I'm so glad you had this baby"

2011-12-07T12:42:00.001-08:00

Life With Four!

Life seems to be flying by at warp speed, because I can't seem to keep up on paper (the books I have been writing stories and cute sayings in) I thought I would try it out in a more 21st century approach!

Riley: Is now a first grader, it has not been the smoothest transition. She has asked me "why did I sign her up for first grade", like it is something I thought she should do. We have had many a discussion about how as you grow up you just do different things and that going to school is her "job". She would like to just go to school for 1/2 day and then spend the rest of the day with all of us at home. She seems to be opening up a bit and I hear more and more stories about what she does at school and who she plays with. We are grateful for the Hess Express as it has made mornings a lot less stressful. Tuesdays continue to be hard because I am gone to work before she returns home from school. Riley is very protective of her siblings and is an awesome big sister and helper for Mommy. Riley enjoys reading and is quite advanced for her age, she has also taken quite an interest in geography, space, and animals. Riley is able to find EVERY country on the globe and knows most rivers, oceans, etc. It is quite impressive!!!

Nora: Has started preschool 3 mornings a week, for being our social butterfly she continues to get sad at drop off, I haven't yet figured that one out! Nora has the BEST imagination and can keep herself very busy. She also loves to "redecorate" she moves things around and uses non-toys as toys ALL the time. I get phone calls from Ahmie asking to talk to Nora so she can find something that has gone missing at her house--amazingly she usually remembers where it is. Nora is a brilliant artist and can spend hours coloring, cutting, and creating masterpieces. It has been fun to watch Nora and Sam play together and see their relationship develop. Nora continues to nap occasionally, usually every 2-3 days. Nora does think she should have play dates daily--this isn't usually the case and she can get quite upset--have I mentioned she is quite dramatic!

Samuel: Has had to grow up quickly since little Ian arrived. He loves his little brother and is constantly giving him kisses, he even shares his cars with him (sometimes). Sam is into everything that moves, he loves cars, trucks, trains, and planes. He especially loves construction trucks and can name them all, it has been a learning curve for Mama but I think I have most of them down--feel free to quiz me! Sam continues to nap daily and it is usually pretty easy to convince him because he gets his paci when he's in his crib, it will be a sad day when we have to take that away. We just moved Sam to a new crib downstairs--the room is still part playroom but he has taken to the switch quite well. Sam is NOT a morning person (takes after his daddy) he does not like getting up in the morning and would prefer to stay in his jammies all day.

Ian: Little Ian joined our family on June 1st! It was a couple of weeks later than mommy thought he would come, apparently I need to learn that I don't get to control everything. The beginning of June will always be filled with birthdays in our family. Ian is a happy, smiley baby and his personality is really starting to come out. He knows and prefers mama! He had been an awesome sleeper but at 4 months started waking frequently--I think he figured out if he woke up mommy would pick him up and feed him. Ian is moving everywhere now, I think in an effort to keep up with his brother and sisters. He scoots himself wherever he wants to go. I have seen him up on his hands and knees--crawling will be here soon.

2008-10-22T14:54:00.000-07:00

Hay ride FUN!

2008-10-22T14:51:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics from a last minute (evening) trip to a local pumpkin patch. It was quite cold but the girls had a blast in the bounce house (no pictures) and on the hay ride

2008-10-22T14:47:00.000-07:00

After Daddy finished our deck, it is awesome, he built a little deck for the girls.
Here is Riley next to her wooden dog, she built it herself out of scraps from the deck.

Jammies!

2008-09-24T11:35:00.000-07:00

You could say I'm obssessed with jammies! Here are a couple of cute shots with cutie jammies on.

Ice Skates!!!!

2008-08-16T07:58:00.000-07:00

Nako Butt Sighting (again) and More...

2008-08-16T07:46:00.000-07:00

A few nights ago, after Riley was having a hard time falling asleep, Brian walked in to find Riley's nako butt sticking up into the air. When I went in to get her pull-up back on I couldn't find it. She was "snuggling" it with her stuffed animals.

Riley got some ice skates from a garage sale, they have been on a shelf in the garage waiting for winter. The other day she convinced my mom that she should try them on, when we told her she couldn't walk around with them on inside she went into the garage and walked with both hands out to the side with the hugest smile on her face. She is really looking forward to winter now so she can go ice skating. She "practices" daily in the garage and driveway.

Nora is a very curious girl, she has discovered light switches--this can keep her busy for quite a long time. (I'll admit if I'm busy I put a stool up by the light switch and let her flip it off and on as many times as she likes) She is also quite a climber and can get up onto things way taller than you'd think she could, she is quite determined.

Friends??

2008-07-11T09:09:00.000-07:00

Riley was trying so hard to hold hands with Nora as we were walking at a park the other day, Nora being so independent wasn't having much to do with it...

The girls are starting to "play" together a little bit more, they are so fun to watch.

Happy 4th...

2008-07-11T09:07:00.000-07:00

Birthday Cake!!

2008-07-11T08:40:00.000-07:00

Here is Riley on her birthday with cupcakes and at her strawberry party...

(apparently she smiles really well when cake is involved, because these are the cutest pictures I have of her)

New photos

2008-05-26T17:01:00.000-07:00

Here is Riley with her new bike helmet and elbow and knee pads. She was so excited she kept them on all night.

I did not think it was possible for Nora to fall asleep while eating (since it's her favorite activity) but she pooped out in the middle of lunch last week. She fell asleep mid bite, then opened her eyes spit it out and went back to sleep. She took a 3 1/2 hour nap that day!!

Happy Mother's Day Mom!! (I tried to get a picture with my girls on mother's day and this is what I got)

2008-04-04T18:25:00.000-07:00

Belated Easter greetings to you all! Here is our best family picture from Easter...you can tell how excited Riley was to have her picture taken. We have found it impossible to get a decent picture with the four of us (actually it is almost impossible to get a good picture with just the two girls).

I'm ONE

2008-03-08T08:10:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures from the golden birthday bash!
Nora had a great time, it included eating her favorite activity, so she was happy. She was more interested in looking at her cards than opening her presents, which worked out nice because her big sister was happy to help with the presents.

Strawberry, strawberry, strawberry

2008-02-10T15:00:00.000-08:00

Riley has become obsessed (and I'm not using this term lightly) with Strawberry Shortcake. If you enter our home you will probably find Riley either talking about, wearing, or "playing" something pertaining to Strawberry Shortcake (even if you can't outwardly see it). Pretty much anything that is pink is somehow related to strawberry...which is nice for us because she thinks that her room (even though nothing in it is Strawberry Shortcake) she calls her Strawberry Shortcake room.

Here is a picture of Riley with her new strawberry glasses.
(jo-jo, she's saying "not patriotic" in this picture)

Nora Playing...

2008-02-10T14:54:00.000-08:00

Here is Nora busy playing, she is quite a happy little girl. Getting close to walking but in no hurry.

NakoButt

2008-02-01T08:13:00.000-08:00

Two nights ago after we hadn't heard Riley for awhile I decided to go take a peek at her. I walked in to find her pull-up and jammie bottoms on the floor. She was sleeping and covered with blankies with her cute little bottom sticking in the air. Thankfully I was able to get a pull-up on without waking her, but when she woke in the morning she was quite distressed that she didn't have her jammie bottoms on. What a little cutie!!

Christmas Girls

2008-01-29T19:29:00.000-08:00

Welcome Family!

2008-01-29T19:19:00.000-08:00

This is our first official post. Hopefully this will be a fun way to stay connected and to share stories and pictures.