It's a....

GIRL!!

All those "pink" wishes finally came through for me.  When I polled everyone with Alex and Henry the girl vote was the majority.  This time was no different.  Before the poll broke on my blog there were 29 votes... 24 of which were for a girl.

We found out a little differently this time.  Rich got lost and ended up at the wrong office (my doctor has 2).  He got to the correct office just as we were leaving.  We really tried to stall... but we just were too quick!  The ultrasound tech was really nice and offered to put it in an envelope for us to open later... she had me close my eyes while she searched.  This little girl was sleeping though--right with her foot tucked up underneath her!  Alex and Henry kept telling her, "Wake up, baby!" and "Move your foot!"  It eventually worked.

James was pretty upset when he came home and found out that I didn't know if he was getting a brother or sister.  Really mad.  He wanted to just open up the envelope and call Rich to tell him! 

At dinner we had everyone go around and tell their votes one last time: Rich, James, Alex, and Henry all voted for girl.  William and I voted boy--William actually wanted boy, and I was just trying not to get my hopes up!  I had Rich open the envelope... and he started laughing.  I thought for sure that meant another boy.  Really I think he was laughing because what we thought might be impossible became a reality.  The boys all cheered when he told us the news!  Except William.  But I'm pretty sure he was trying to suppress a smile.  He acts like he really wanted another boy--but I think he's secretly happy.

So come October there will be a lot more pink in this house of ours.  Hooray!

11 years and counting

This year Rich and I celebrated our anniversary a day early by eating at the "Top of the World" restaurant at the Stratosphere.

The food was delicious and once the sun set the view was gorgeous.  (While the sun was still up it just looked like a dirty city.)  People pay to jump from the top of the Stratosphere and we saw several people fall past the window while we ate.  Scary!   The entire restaurant rotates and it took us about an hour and a half to circle completely around.

We had such a nice night together doing something a little out of the ordinary.   I think our life together has turned out a little differently than we thought 11 years ago... probably better than we could have imagined!

Celebrating 5

Alexander was soooo excited to turn 5.  I don't think any of my boys have been so excited for a birthday.  He had lots of plans for his big day.  Instead of having a party with friends he really wanted to do something with our entire family.  I gave him the opportunity to do something special with just mom and dad but he wanted everyone there.  He really misses his big brothers when they are at school all day.  (We'll see if he still feels the same way all summer.)  Since his birthday fell on a Sunday we decided to do some of our celebrating on Saturday.  We had a little picnic at a nearby park and let the boys play in the water there.

Sunday morning came and he was super excited and anxious to get the festivities started.  Food is always a big part of our birthdays.  He chose Reese's Puffs for breakfast (extra special since I only buy cold cereal on super special occasions these days.)

I had a quick meeting at church in the morning but Alex really wanted to open his gifts first... thus the jammies still.

 I don't know where his smile disappeared to in those pictures... but he really was happy with everything he got!

At church he felt extra special since he got his birthday printed in the bulletin and they sang to him in primary.

For dinner he requested Hawaiian haystacks, which is funny because he really doesn't like the gravy/chicken part... just the rice and the toppings!  But he was super happy about his choice.

Alex's funniest request by far was his dessert.  Instead of a birthday cake--or even a donut tower which has been his choice for the past few years--he asked for popsicles!  Since you can't really stick a candle in a popsicle  we sang to him and let him blow out a big candle before we broke out the treats.

Alex is really getting to be so big.  He has already set some tough goals since he turned 5 (no sippy cups at night!  Going on 7 days in a row!!) and reaching them.  He can't wait to start school and is becoming a great, happy helper. 

But maybe his next goal can be to stop "wiping off" our kisses.

Pinewood Derby Tradition?

William was so excited for his Pinewood Derby race this year.  He designed his car and painted it himself.  See how proud he is?

All was well and good until the night of the race in which he lost every single race.  It wasn't that he didn't come in first... but he came in dead last every. single. time.

It is not in William's nature to be a graceful loser.  We've been working on it for years.  But that night it went all out the window.  It was sad to see him so distraught.

We'll pause the story of William here and fill you in on a Crane Family Legend.  Rich's brother, Bob, once had a Pinewood Derby experience very similar to this.  He lost every single race.  And he was mad.  Rich says that no one spoke the entire drive home.  And when they arrived home their dad walked to the garage, grabbed matches and lighter fluid, and then he helped Bob to burn that car in the street.

Back to William.  When we got home Rich and William went to the backyard, put the car in our little grill, and burned it.

And that is the end of that.

Oh, Alex!  You are such a fun boy.  You've grown so much this past year!  You have informed us that your name is Alexander Robert Crane--but you just like to be called Alex.  Potty training has been a struggle but this last year you finally got it down.  Your speech has made huge improvements--it's really amazing!  You and Henry get along better than you ever have.  And you love to learn and make goals and really try hard to obey. It's hard to believe that you are 5 now--an entire hand!  Happy birthday big boy!

What is your favorite...
color? red, I mean black
food?  Cheetos
game? Harry Potter
toy?  Emmett (from The Lego Movie legos)
show? Superhero Squad
animal?  fire-breathing dragon
comic book?
song? Sunbeams (Jesus Wants me for a Sunbeam)
What do you like to do?  drink milk
Who is your best friend?  Dad
What do you want to be when you grow up? video game inventor
Do you have a girlfriend?  no

I am - five

I am afraid of - spiders

I like - milk

I like to eat - pineapple

I don't like - kisses

I know - that I will be good

I want to be - a video game inventor when I grow up

I like to watch - Super Hero Squad

My hero is- ME (we learned this in Joy School)

I cry when - something bad happens

I'm happy when - something bad doesn't happen to me

Mom gets mad when - I yell and scream

Mom is happy when - I don't yell and scream

I can't wait for - me to be 6!

Something Mom says to me - "Do not sneak electrics!"

Something Dad says to me - "We can't play 'king of the bed' right now."

My favorite place to go is - McDonalds

My Mom and Dad make me laugh by - tickling

I know my mom loves me because - I love her

I know my dad loves me because - I love him

Squinky Battles

Alex still loves playing with his squinkies.  I find battle scenes set up all over the house like these:

(Don't mind the dusty piano.)

Sometimes this is what happens when little boys dress themselves.

I never would have let William leave the house dressed like this when he was Henry's age.  But now?  I have too many other things to worry about.  And I hope that strangers will know I didn't get them ready.

This little boy just makes me smile

You mean you don't wear swim goggles to relax on the hammock?

Easter

Our Spring Break ended with Easter weekend.  We had a fun Easter egg hunt on Saturday with some friends in the ward.

And we got home we discovered that the Easter Bunny had been to our house while we were gone!

The Easter Bunny has started adding new ties to their baskets.  They all looked so handsome on Easter Sunday.

We ended with a yummy ham dinner complete with homemade rolls, scalloped potatoes and veggies.  It was the perfect way to end our Easter weekend and our Spring Break.

Spring Break

We had a great Spring Break--and not long enough!  It really had me wishing for summer!  We really tried to do at least one big job everyday and then something fun.  The boys really wanted to have a water balloon fight.  Too bad it takes 5 times longer to fill them up than it does for them to be gone!!

At the end of the fight we discovered that William hadn't been hit!  We filled up a few more just to hit William with and he kept dodging them--or they'd bounce off of him and pop on the ground!  I think we got him wet at the very end.

One of the big projects we had wake raking the front yard.  It has a desert landscape (aka rocks) but there is a tree that sheds pine needles all over the place.  It's so hard to get the pine needles up without getting the rocks as well.  Whoever thought it was a great landscaping idea was crazy.  The boys did a great job though and we were able to fill 2 trashcans and 4 more trashbags!!

We also spent a day at the Springs Preserve (and met Rich there), went to the library, met friends at the park, and went to the spray ground.


We even remembered to dye eggs this year.

It was a busy, fun, productive week--and has us itching for summertime!

For months the boys have been asking us when we'll be having another baby.  Not if but when.  They talk about how we need another baby because Henry is getting so big (and he is!) James and Alex keep talking about the need for a little sister.

Needless to say, when Rich and I told them that we were expecting again they were beyond excited!  We all are!  Baby #5 is due to make his/her appearance sometime at the start of October.

And since it's always fun to see what everyone thinks I've put a little poll on the sidebar to see what we'll be having.