Monroe Turns Ten!

Monroe is the big 1-0! Double Digits!! He is full of energy and hugs and clever retorts. He requested silver dollar pancakes with chocolate sauce, raspberries, and fried eggs for breakfast; pesto tortellini, mango, and tomatoes for lunch; a trip to Big Max for snack; and ramen with fried eggs and Caesar salad for dinner. And here's a bit more about 10-year-old Monroe. He...

• had an amazing 4th grade year. His teacher was the perfect balance of calm and unphased, but also no-nonsense and totally had Monroe's number. Monroe was pushed and supported and in turn excelled. Amazing!
• still loves needling his brothers (and parents), which is now referred to as rage baiting. Monroe is the master of rage baiting. You would think we would be able to keep ourselves from taking the bait since we know this about him, but apparently that is more difficult than expected. 
• has been gaining independence and frequently goes off biking or scootering around Queen Anne on his own or with friends.
• seems to have one volume and that is LOUD. No matter the feeling or emotion or thought being expressed, we never have a hard time hearing it. 
• asks for one million things every single day - candy, chips, soda, bubbly water, dessert in general, a trip to the store to buy something, device time, video games, to watch a show, screen time in general, a trip to SkyZone, etc... The list has seemingly infinite possibilities. We're trying to tell ourselves that he's practicing being a brave advocate for himself.
• is quick to say thank you and share with others the millions of things he has asked for.
• is taking after his brother's love of shoes and he's getting more specific in his preferences. 
• is still a glutton for attention and he's fairly undiscerning in the kind of attention he receives. He seems to seek out positive and negative attention with equal measure. 
• played Queen Anne Community Center basketball again this year. He had some good buddies on his team and they had a blast.
• is doing Seattle United soccer again this year and made the second team for his age group. It's a nice group of kids and a great coach and it looks to be another wonderful year of soccer. 
• switched from piano lessons to guitar lessons. It's still early, but he seems into it. 
• lists waffles, chicken sandwiches, B.L.T.A.s, and all the desserts as his favorite foods.
• has one last favorite stuffed animal, his squishmellow named Tramp.
• is still working on how to love on Tater with the right amount of contact and pressure. 
• asks for back rubs, back scratches, and snuggles every night at bedtime.
• still wants to hold hands when walking to school and give hugs and kisses before running out to soccer practice and we're here for it. 

Happy 10th Birthday Monroe!

P.S. Monroe Turns Nine, Conway Turns Ten, Parker Turns Ten

Mother's Day at Golden Gardens

Sun Bathers

A Day Trip to Lost Lake

David and Conway were in Yakima for a basketball tournament so Parker, Monroe, Tater, and I headed to Lost Lake for the day. Uncle Damo was also there and took Monroe out for a spin in his little sailboat!

Orlando for Spring Break

Another spring break, another theme park. We had so much fun at Disneyland last year that we thought we'd do Disneyworld this year. In the end, while we did go to Orlando, we opted for Universal Studios and its big rollercoasters, and then some gator experiences. 

Day one was Universal Epic Universe, and it was amazing, except that Parker got sick and spent the second half of the day alternating between puking and laying in the shade. 

Day two we did a swamp airboat tour and saw some big gators! Parker was still feeling sick, so he stayed back at the condo. And then Monroe got sick, so he was out for the count for most of the afternoon.

Day three we rallied and went to Universal Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios. And no one threw up!! Conway and Monroe were rollercoaster buddies, opting for the biggest of the big rides. The favorites were Jurassic World VelociCoaster and The Incredible Hulk Coaster.

Day four we went to Gatorland, where we got to feed alligators, zipline over gator infested waters, and the boys even got up close and personal with a gator.

Day five we got packed up, spent time at the pool, and then headed for the airport and home. There were still plenty of other parks with big rollercoasters that Conway was sad to miss, but I guess he'll just have to go back. 

P.S. Disneyland for Spring Break 2025 

Happy Easter

McClure Mavricks Basketball

 

Conway Turns Twelve!

Conway is 12 years old, almost a teenager! He is equal parts serious and silly and has a very gentle, tender side that we get to see from time to time. For his birthday breakfast, Conway chose silver dollar pancakes, fried eggs, and raspberries. And for dinner he decided to stick with the breakfast theme and chose French toast dippers, sausage links, and cantaloupe. Breakfast for the win! And here's a bit more about twelve-year-old Conway. He...

• is still very opinionated and specific, but dare I say Conway's ability (willingness?) to be flexible has grown a little. He still loves the opportunity to call out a nuance of what someone said that can be debated at nauseam, but there have been glimmers of realization from him that sometimes letting things go will actually benefit him more than proving he's right. 
• started middle school and he's rocking it! He meets up with a group of friends at a house just down the street from ours and they all walk to and from school together, which sometimes includes post school snacks from Big Max and Safeway candy runs. He loves it! The walking with his buddies part he loves, not necessarily the school part. Apparently middle school antics can be annoying. Who knew?
• is still kind of an introverted homebody who needs his personal space to decompress, which sometimes leads to little jabs from his friends for not hanging out more.
• gets to sleep in a bit because middle school starts later, which he is thrilled about. He also gets a bit of time in the morning on his own before he has to leave for school and after his brothers have left, which he seems to enjoy.  
• still loves to sleep and rest, though he continually challenges himself to not go to bed when directed to do so. 
• is very specific about his style. He's more into jorts than Nike tech matching sweatsuits these days, and he's particular about his baggy jeans, fashion sneakers, and t-shirt choices. Hand me down clothes are getting trickier. 
• loves fluffing up his hair.
• participated in ski bus for the first time this year, and after some initial hesitation, he did great. The snow was pretty terrible this year, but he still had a great time and improved his ski skills so much.
• had another fun year doing Seattle United soccer, this year on the NW Blue team. He was back with coach Cade, one of his favorites. He continues to be a good teammate, works hard, and listens to his coach. He's also a pretty versatile player and can make a difference anywhere on the field. 
• joined the Fall session of Ballard Protege basketball. How many club sports can/should one kid do?
• made McClure Middle School's 6th grade basketball team and he had a great time. It was a good group of kids and he loved his coach. He fancies himself quite the gym rat as basketball has turned into his first true love. The kid can dribble, has a good shot, and he's starting to lead more on the court, so there you go. 
• absolutely loves roller coasters and thrill rides.
• moved out of the room that he and Parker shared since Monroe was born and he's taken over the guest room in the basement. He's thrilled! The room is set up for him, but still with the queen-sized bed and the agreement that he will go back to sleeping in the bunkbed in Parker's room when we have overnight guests. So far, so good.
• vacillates between which brother he wants to do things with. Is it based on the activity? His mood or theirs? The phase of the moon? What he or they are wearing that day?
• says pesto pasta, chicken strips, and silver dollar pancakes are his favorite foods. Tofu and mushrooms are his least favorites.
• set the world record for the most chicken strips consumed on consecutive days.
• still asks for a hug before leaving for school in the morning and as he climbs into bed at night. 😍

Happy Birthday Conway! We love you SO much!!

{Breakfast}

{Dinner}

P.S. Conway Turns Eleven

Sun Peaks for Mid-Winter Break

Super Bowl LX

David made nachos, Conway made s'more bars, Reid came over, we played the squares game, and the Seahawks won! Let's Go!!