Lately...In Pictures

My little buddies love to play together!

Caleb found another reader!  He LOVES books.  This is Miss Haley, who is our soon-to-be niece. The boys love when Haley-Bug visits!

She is so patient with both of the boys.

My little lion...He thinks this towel is so funny!

Excuse the less-than-professional picture, but I had to get my shark too!

The new weather has allowed us some fun time outside.  We had our first dinner of the year on the back porch last week.  

Caught Adam looking at me!  Three year olds are difficult to photograph. 

Come on summer!

Here's Caleb watering my "flowers". 

I'm going to have lots of helpers this summer. 

Little Snow Day!

As most of you know, we have had the mildest winter that you can imagine.  It is not something to complain about; I actually really have liked having some warmer days during winter, but of course I think we could use one good snow so that the boys can play in it and get some use out of those snowsuits I made sure that they had before Christmas!

We had one day so far that had a little bit of snow on a day that we were home.  David was working and I really wanted to get the boys outside early in case that the snow would melt when the sun came up.  By early, I mean 10 or 11, which should not be difficult considering they wake up at like 7 on most days.

The morning was one of those days that just didn't quite match up to my nice little fantasy-land I had in my head of them being SO excited to go play in the snow.  I practically had to pin them down to get them dressed in 25 layers, all the while Adam complained that every single item "hurt" or was "too tight".  I think I gave up about 3 times during the whole ordeal, and even told Adam he might just have to watch Caleb and me play outside from the front window if he didn't behave!  We did finally make it outside and had a fun 30 minutes or so of paying in the snow and the "clubhouse".  The boys really enjoyed making tracks in the snow, playing with sticks (true boys), and digging.  Now if we could just have one snow that would be good enough for sledding, we can move on to spring! 

Adam insisted on these sunglasses, which were completely his idea.  Fine by me - I was happy with anything that distracted him from telling me that his pants were too tight. 

Caleb at 18 months

Caleb, you are a year and a half!  I took you to your 18 month checkup recently and you weighed 30 lbs (90th percentile), 34 1/2 inches (94th percentile).  You are a big, healthy boy!  Your 18 month clothes are starting to be too tight, so we are moving into many size 24 month clothes.  You wear a size 4 diaper.  

You are a baby who knows his limits - when it is your bedtime, you are pulling us into the kitchen to get your milk and head to the stairs for bedtime.  I cherish still getting to rock you for a bit before you are asleep. You sleep in your crib till about 6 AM most nights (going to bed about 8 PM).  You really like to snuggle, too.

You are a great eater and not very picky at all.  You love veggies and fruit, yogurt, meat, milk, cheese - you name it!  Your favorite snacks are definitely raisins, but you love goldfish too.  

You are learning to say many words and if you can't say it then you do a pretty good job of getting your point across.  You LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to read books, and your favorites are any animal books, What's Wrong Little Pookie?, Farm Book, and a picture book I made you and Adam from our trip to the zoo (more animals!).  Even in person you love dogs and cats and always want to pet them.

You say quite a few words now like Mommy, Daddy, some word for Adam, ball, baby, bottle, etc.  You can string a few words together too, like "Thank you Daddy" and "More please!".  Important new words are "Go Cats!" and you can say, "Cats! Cats! Cats!" for us too.

You are playful and adventurous.  You are fast and love to run, and you have to know what Adam is doing at all times.  You love to play ball, cars, trains, blocks, etc. and Adam and you have tons of fun chasing each other with your push toys and playing in the bathtub.

You love to laugh and sometimes just crack us up! Happy 18 months sweet boy!

Family pics...true to life

I always love a good family picture, and it feels like we are always trying to take one but that is because they're so hard to get!  To get the cooperation of two little boys plus a natural smile from David and me is quite the challenge.  So I had to share this attempt of Jessica's after Adam's birthday party. 

We're just not into it Mom...

The daddy switcharoo...and I'm trying hard to make it work, haha!

Still not having it...

Get me down from here!!!!

Okay, I give up!  Better luck next time!

A Clubhouse Party!

It's time for pictures from Adam's 3rd birthday party!  We had to go with a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse themed party since that is by far Adam's favorite character, and I must say that a Mickey Mouse party is pretty easy to throw because MM stuff is in abundance!

Early in the day a special guest arrived to help Adam celebrate.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse cake...a big hit with the birthday boy 

It was a beautiful fall day, and a great day for jumping!

And a little...hockey-soccer

Look at those skills!

My baby boy's serious face - and no, and he wasn't even in time out! 

That's more like it!

We don't recommend that you try this at home; this is only for professionals.

So many great friends!

The birthday boy blowing out his candle

Who's surprised we caught Brennan and Caleb scavenging the goldfish?

Happy 3rd birthday to my sweet boy!

What it's like to be 3

One post that is way overdue is my update on my three year old.  Life is jam-packed but fun-filled right now, and every day I think about how these days are precious and there are so many things I hope to never forget.

Future photographer - think he's seen Miss Jessica at work a few times? 

• These days, Adam weighs about 31 lbs, and wears mostly 24 months/2T clothes, though his exposed ankles are telling me that he's ready to move up because he's getting taller!  Sorry for the highwaters, baby, but your waist is really small!
• Adam has an amazing sense of direction.  I know I've said this before, but really, he astounds me sometimes. He hardly misses a turn, and I am sure he could get me to a list of places that we visit on a regular basis.  Nearly every day when I pick him up he asks, "Will you take me a DIFFERENT way, Mommy?"  David is way better to oblige; I generally prefer the quickest way!  Frequently we hear him say, "Hey, this is the way we go when we are going to (fill in the blank).  This kid is good.  
• Adam generally obeys and is good to "turn on his listening ears" with a motion and a "beep beep", though like most 3 year olds, he has his moments, haha!  It is rare that a get a bad report from daycare, and I am proud that he likes to "take care of Bubby" at school "so he won't cry".  Because of Adam, all the kids in Adam's class call Caleb "Bubby" too!
• Adam still likes to watch similar cartoons as before, and our routine is to watch one when it is close to bedtime, usually while we are getting Caleb in his crib.  He likes Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, and occasionally Special Agent Oso. 
• Favorite books right now are Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Sing Along Songs (both boys), Frosty the Snowman, the Night Before Christmas, several different Curious George books, and the book about Farmer Brown.  He has become interested in longer stories recently.
• Adam loves to help do things, and he is my special helper when I am getting food ready as long as he isn't hungry.  He is a good eater and likes most things (most days, anyway).  He loves fruits and vegetables, so it is hard to complain, really. His favorite candy are Mike and Ikes, which we used as treats while potty training.  He was so funny - when he was really proud of himself, he would ask if he could have TWO "mikes".  I found that to be a GREAT deal!
• I love this age where he is so talkative, especially in the car.  If something happened at daycare, I hear all about it, and sometimes I am pretty sure I hear about things that he just flat-out made up, but that's funny too!  Hearing his version of it is great.  
• Our bedtime routine (following the cartoon), is to get his cup of milk, go brush his teeth (he loves his watermelon toothpaste), go to his bed, read a book or two (usually multiple times, ha!), say our prayers, and sometimes tell a story before he dozes off.  He likes to play with my rings or David's as he falls asleep.  I don't completely get it, but it seems like he has done this forever.  Most nights he comes to get in our bed at some point.  He's gotten so slick at it that most nights we don't even know when he came in.  I know - I'm scared, too!
• Adam loves to sing, and I am positive he knows over a hundred songs.  He loves his songs in the car, especially.  He laughs EVERY time he hears "Hey Diddle Diddle" because he says it is just so silly! 

 

Love you my self-proclaimed "Pea-nut"!

My Mailman and Garden Gnome

I had to add the pictures from our fun Halloween this year.  I had the cutest two little boys ever!

Adam picked out his costume this year, and isn't he cute in his hat and with his own mailbag?  

My little garden gnome, without his beard here, but I love this little guy.

Nana and E-Dad met us at the Fall Festival, and the boys had a good time playing games and seeing their friends. 

Caleb's crazy 'brows

Caleb couldn't hang with us long enough on this night to carve our pumpkin, and Adam thought the insides were pretty gross, haha!

But he loved the final product!

Crazy faced pumpkin, and crazy faced Mommy and Adam

Maybe it looks better in the dark!

Adam and his buddy Drake at the daycare dress-up parade.  They were so cute holding hands and marching. 

When it was time for actual trick or treating, these boys were quick to figure out that they got candy at these doors!  Adam was shy at first, but then he started saying, "On to the next house!"  He loved recognizing the houses with their lights on, ready for trick-or-treaters!

Caleb had a gnome-mobile to help him get around.  Happy Halloween!