Papa and his grandkids!

Well, his two oldest grandkids that is. There are plenty of pictures of Papa holding the babies, but those aren't as entertaining! With Lexi in town, Mark stayed home from daycare a lot and Papa was the entertainer. He bought them bouncy balls, bubbles, and chalk. He took them to the park and to Bounce U twice. Not to leave out Gammy, but she isn't retired and had to work a lot, or she was behind the camera, or the few pics I do have of her she wouldn't approve of me posting! So this post is about Pops only.

Here they are taking a snack break at the park.




Here they are playing with bubbles.





Here they are on their bouncy balls. What I love about this picture is that Mark is a typical boy and laughing as he falls. And even better than that is that Papa is laughing harder than Mark about his fall! You might have to zoom in to see it.

Papa and ?. Pretty sure its Lexi hiding in their make-shift tent!



Thanks for the fun times Papa!

Kate is here!

Geez! I felt like I was pregnant for as long as an elephant! (Aren't they pregnant for like 22 months?) Anyway, Kate Elise Wingerter came into this world on 4/4/11 at 1248pm. She weighed 6lbs10oz and was 19.5 inches long. Labor and delivery went ok. I'll spare you the details but lets just say there was some drama. I mean whats a birth without drama right? (Only there was no drama with Mark and I kinda prefer it that way!) So far, Kate is an angel baby. I keep saying that she is still in that "newborn comotose phase" but really secretly I'm hoping she is just an angel but I don't want to jinx it by saying it out loud! I'm sure any day now she'll wake up and keep things hopping! For now she sleeps all the time! She rarely ever cries, and the only way I know when to get up and feed her at night is when I hear her going to town trying to eat her hands! All the noise from big brother doesn't seem to phase her at all. Oh! And she laughs! So usually right after eating she falls asleep - you know in like REM where her eyes twitch and she breathes really fast and she smiles - well about 4 times now she has gotten a HUGE grin on her face and given a little chuckle. It is so cute! Speaking of big brother, he has been great. He LOVES his baby sister and is so gentle with her. He is constantly "checking" on her, "petting" her head, and giving her kisses. He loves to hold her "all by himself." The other day he said, "Mommy, you know what my favorite things about babies is? Petting their heads." He loves to say, "Its okay sister, you're okay." And he is VERY concerned if she cries. I think he has had a couple of attention issues, for example if he hurts himself nowadays he doesn't jump up yelling, "I'm ok" like he used to, now we are having some major drama over little injuries. But its ok cause its hard to get to hug and cuddle with him any other time lately! So, here are some pics from Kate's birthday and first week at home. New family pic - just the four of us! Big brother holding his baby sister for the first time! I think its funny to see what little room they take up in their crib at first!

All loaded up with two car seats!

Mark and Daddy carrying Kate out to the car! I had to ride in a silly wheelchair! (Ghetto OSU let me walk out)

Opah was Kate's first visitor when I was in labor and delivery and was also the first one there the next morning. He went from no grandkids to 4 grandkids in just three years!

Kate (not making the prettiest face) and her cousin Gracie! Gracie is just 6 weeks old!

Mimi and Mark waiting for Kate to come back from the nursery! They were our first visitors when we finally got to the post-partum room.

So I know these pictures are all scrambled, but Brandee, Lexi, and Lillian are in town from Norway! They got here just in time, the night before Kate was born! It has been super because Mark has been so busy plaing with Lexi I think it has distracted him from the lack of attention he's getting at home! Here is Lex on the trampoline!

Aunt Brandee and baby Lillian! Lillian just turned 5 months. Speaking of happy babies...

Gam and Pops with their two newest grandkids!

My two twinkies - I think they were about to head out for a bike ride.

So can you tell which one is Mark and which one is Kate? The blue and pink kinda give it away!

Here is a pic from today - today is her actual due date. I think she is starting to fill out!

Racing on the River

Today was Mark's very first pedal bike race! He was so excited to wear his new 918 team jersey. He's done a couple of races before, but this was his first race with pedals. It was actually a time trial and I was worried he wouldn't understand why no one else was on the starting line with him, but he got it I think. I told him they would put one biker at the starting line at a time and say ready, set, go! and then they would say, "ok Mark, now your turn. ready, set, go!" To which he replied, "No, they will say, 'Spiderman, its your turn. Ready, set, go!'" He cracks me up. Apparently he told my parents the other day that he is spiderman, he just acts like Mark. Hee hee. Anyway, here's some pics of his big race! Mark and Daddy ready to go! Uncle Tanner holding his bike steady at the starting line! Coming down the home stretch - pedaling his little heart out!

Post-race bananna re-fuel!

Uncle PJ and Britton came too. They had a great time riding across the pedestrian bridge and all over riverside after the race.

Here's what happens when you hand the camera to Gammy - pregnant pictures! But I guess I oughta include a pic of Kate too! She'll be here Monday unless she decides to come sooner!

New Camera

Sadly our old camera bit the dust a few weeks ago so we were FORCED to get a new one! =) I'm sure the new one takes really great pictures - I just don't know how to do it! I guess I should take a photography class like everyone else. Anyway - here are some pics from the last few weeks with the new camera.

Mark nd Daddy on their pedal bikes

I only get pictures from behind nowadays!

Handsome Mobley

Mr. Blue Eyes

Cheesy Mr. Blue Eyes

Mark loving on beautiful baby Gracie - his newest cousin

Lindsay, MiMi, Angie, and baby Gracie. Isn't Lindsay beautiful?

We always have to dance in front of the band at Los Cabos

You may have to zoom in - but even little people have a dance face!

My two handsome men!

At sesame street live

Sleepy cheesy grin one morning

Mr. Talkative

For those of you that know Mark well, you know he has always been a talker. Sometimes I think he talked a little too well too soon because we started treating him like he was older because it was clear what he could and couldn't understand from an early age. Anyway, lately he has really been cracking us up with his expressions and "stories" and excuses. I just want to share a few things that may or may not be funny to you but also some things I just don't want to forget!

1.) He used to use the correct name for tape measure but the other day he said, "Daddy, do you need your take-a-measure?"

2.) I'd rather have juice. (I just like the use of the word 'rather')

3.) Hi Dad, How you doin' today?

4.) Mark, did you gas? "No, that was a train tooting."

5.) 0650AM - Mark, why are you out of bed already? "Because my knees hurt."

6.) Pick up your toys. "I don't know how."

7.) Mark you need to decide inside your head to be happy - no one else can do it for you. "But I'm just a little boy" (That one made me feel about one inch tall and the worst parent inthe world!

8.) The guys will like this one. While using the bathroom with John at a restaurant, "Daddy, why is yours long?" You should have seen the grin on John's face!

9.) Mark, why are you already awake from your nap? "This chicken came in here and said cock-a doodle-doo."

10.) After getting in trouble, "Nobody loves me. Only God and Jesus love me."

11.) I'm still coughing and sneezing. Tell Mommy my allergy medicine didn't work."

There have been so many more but I forget them! I need to write them down as he says them! Anyway, like I said they may not seem funny but when you see how little the person is that's saying it- it cracks you up!

The Attorney

So my parents always said I should be a lawyer because I can argue with a wall. Well the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Listen to this "conversation" between John and Mark last night in the car:

M: Put my blankie back here by me.

J: No, your blankie is up here with us until you say you're sorry for not listening to my words.

M: Parents aren't supposed to have blankies.

J: We don't. We just have yours because you weren't listening to our words.

M: Well, I'll come get it.

J: You can't, you're strapped in your seat.

M: Well I'll get out.

J: You can't. I tightened it already.

M: Well, Mr. Incredible will help me.

J: Mr. Incredible isn't real.

M: Yes he is. He's right there.

J: Where?

M: He's running beside the car.

J: He can't run as fast as a car.

M: Yes he can- just like Dash.

J: I'm gonna lock the doors so he can't get in.

M: Well, he'll break open the door.

J: No, I won't let him.

M: Oh. Well, I'm not ready to say sorry yet.

J: YES!! I WON!

I don't know, maybe its not funny if you weren't there but I was laughing so hard. Just listening to the two of them go back and forth was cracking me up.
We've got a long road ahead of us folks!

Belated Snow Pics

So yesterday was the day I was going to upload some pics from our winter wonderland onto the blog but then Mark learned to ride his new pedal bike and that took precedence! Anway, yes its crazy that its almost 80 degrees today and we just had two weeks with two feet of snow on the gound!
The first week of snow John was in Mexico and missed out. Mark and I ventured out a few times on our own but it really was so cold and windy those first few days we were actually content to stay indoors. Then John got home and it warmed up so we had tons of fun in the snow. We shoveled the driveway (yes thats fun), went sledding in our neighborhood, built a snowman, built a snow tunnel/fort, and went sledding with Britton and Leyton.
Mark LOVES the snow, as long as it dosen't touch his skin! Which on most days it was so cold he even wore goggles (tinted of course for those sensitive blue eyes) so there really was not much available skin for the snow to touch. I was there palying too I promise, but just behind the camera. I asked John to take a pic of me and the dogs and I look so horrific (picture abominable snowman) that I won't be sharing that one!

inside the snow tunnel

the snow tunnel

Frosty - with clementine eyes and bats for arms

PJ's back there too - just trying to hold the sleds from going down the hill!

the dreaded climb back to the top!

My buddy!

Leyton and Mark were so excited to see each other they just started rolling in the snow!

He asked me to take his picture with his goggles on! You'd think he wouldn't look so sad!

Here's one smiling!

Mark sledding by himself

Mobley and Rocky liked sledding too!

They call this "the double-decker!"

The shoveling Crew!

Gammy and Papa had to pull the sled downt he hill on our first sledding day because the snow was so deep!

This is how we traveled the first few days when cars were a no-go!











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