Stanton Summer Olympics 2011

This year's Olympics had all new faces because we live in a new city! We have some great new friends (but miss our old ones). The games this year were all indoors. They included ping-pong bounce, basketball shoot, academic decathlon (made by Drea), Newlywed game, Wii Tennis, puzzle sort, Word Trains, costume contest and cracker eating. We had a great time, the food was delicious, and the costume were awesome! The Riggs are even planning the Winter Olympics!

Happy Birthday Cooper

Cooper is 5! We had such a fun Toy Story Party. He chose to have it at the house. We rented a bounce house slide and had about 15 kids here. The morning of he decided he didn't want the store bought cake we ordered, he wanted one like I made daddy (a rainbow chip frosting and funfetti cake). I've always made his cakes but this year I thought he'd like a professional cake...I was wrong. So I scrambled and made quick cake and it all turned out fine.

It's hard to believe how big he is some days. He's incredibly smart and picks up on everything. Thus we have to be really careful about what we say around him because he remembers! He excels in his Pre-K class and has even spread his wings in the area of behavior. He no longer has green conduct marks everyday. In fact, he's had a couple reds (the worst). Two weeks ago he got one for punching a kid in the face! The same week, he kissed a little girl on the slide. He's growing up fastand reaching milestones everyday (good and bad). We are trying to cherish every moment because these first five years have flown by. Happy Birthday, baby boy! Thanks for making me a mommy!

Beautiful Weather

Snow

Our first snow hit on January 9. We ended up with a late day at school and tons of fun in the backyard. We love our new house and the climate!

My Snow Angels!

Halloween...4 months late

We had a superhero Halloween. Cooper kicked it all of wanting to be Spiderman. Maggie quickly fell in line with Supergirl. Luckily Daddy found the Hulk costume at Pam and Steve's. Mommy is behind the camera playing supermom.

We went to a local pumpkin patch. It was a little bitter sweet. For the last four years we have gone to the same one in Houston. It was exciting finding this new one which came complete with animals and lots more photo op spots.

As you can tell, Maggie wasn't to interested in the pictures part, she wanted to chase the animals

These are our two punkins smiling in front of their new fireplace. Happy Halloween!

A New Chapter

I guess I shouldn’t be too hard on my dad, it has been two months since I posted. Since things have settled down a bit here are a few more pics and an update. We are officially residents of Dallas, though we are still squatting in Pam and Steve’s house (thanks y’all, we love you). This last Thursday our house closed in Houston, making us non-homeowners. We are overjoyed! It was a long stressful summer looking for jobs, childcare, and a buyer. We feel so blessed that “the hard part” is behind us.
Cooper is enjoying his “new school” as he calls it and seems amenable to the idea of getting another new school when we purchase a house here. He is in a Montessori which suits his learning style and curiosity to try things out. In fact, they are moving him up to the next class next week (just more proof that he may be a genius). He doesn't want much for his birthday, just a new house he says. really, he wants all his toys out of storage, especially the train table. He wants to be either Buzz Lightyear or a bat for Halloween. "Maggie can be a cowgirl, Pam can be a princess, and Steve can be an indian," says Cooper. No ideas for mommy and daddy yet.

Maggie has been less flexible about the move. She has started to throw fits and breaks down crying when she has to go to school. She spends three days a week with Pam and two at the same school with Cooper. We think she has a hard time not being the star of the show! With Pam and at Mary’s (we miss you Mary and Dave!) she pretty much had undivided attention from at least one adult all the time…she is getting better and seems to be slowly grasping the idea that this is the new normal. But school is not her favorite. She loves being home with Pam (and Steve) trying on shoes, doing hair, talking on the phone, sitting by the pool, playing with Sammie, running errands and charming store clerks. Shaun and I are both adjusting to our new jobs. It is way different starting in a new place, new home, new job…with kids this time. For some reason, when we moved I thought this move would be like the other big ones I’ve done (CA to MD then MD to CA then CA to TX). I was wrong! I hate change (a lot like Mags) and this has been a huge one! I am getting the hang of school and commute, getting lost less and finding myself smiling more. Shaun’s new district is fabulous! He loves it but is also finding himself hard at work learning all the new nuisances and policies. Our plan is to buy a house in the next few weeks and get settled in a permanent routine. We will miss Pam and Steve and their beautiful house but it will be nice to have our own place again! We will update when we have more news!

video Montage for CA granparents

Okay, Okay Randy...here is a video. Probably only exciting to a papa and grammy. Maggie is doing animal sounds and saying hi, no and bye. I tried despreately to get her to talk on the phone but she refused. Her latest is she jabbers on the phone for long periods of time with it laying on her shoulder. I love it! But no performance. She's hardheaded...wonder where she gets that from?

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Maggie's Workout

This is a daily passtime for at least one us of in the Stanton household...Coop and Mags just love it!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Writing, swimming, moving, drooping

Here are some recent pictures of the kids. We took another trip to Dallas. I signed my contract and did finger printing. We also had time to play in the pool, visit the rain forest cafe and spend lots of time with Pam and Steve. I think our next trip might be the big move. Our house is still for sale...almost 60 days now. We have our fingers, toes, legs, and eyes crossed....this house needs to sell soon!

Maggie is walking like a champ...video to come. Her lonely two bottom teeth now have a friend up top and are awaiting another arrival soon. Cooper is growing so fast and got a long overdue haircut. Today, was the first time he wore a tie to church without fussing...he is getting so big.

Cooper brought this to Shaun a couple of days ago. We, of course, think he's brilliant at 3 and half years old, this is pretty good!

I just think this kid is so beautiful!

Train ride around the mall!

Maggie was born with ptosis of her left eye. It is a slight drooping eyelid that the doctors are watching. It actually doesn't fall in her sight line so any repairs would be cosmetic. I noticed within hours of her birth. Doctors told me she as pressed up against my pelvic bone and it would resolve on it's own. It has gotten better and we have exercises we do to strengthen the muscle. It is really most noticeable when she is tired. Our options are surgery, patching the "good eye", or just waiting to see if it recovers on it's own. We have chosen the latter. If it is still noticeable when she is old enough to care, we'll let her choose to have surgery. Until then, pics like this make me laugh because it makes her look like she is giving such attitude!