This and That

Time is f lying by these days and finding the time to blog doesn't seem to be happening.  There's still plenty going on these days and plenty to share.  We are on the countdown to summer (well at least the kids and I are - Mike's not a big fan of the hot weather).  I'm working on my summer bucket list.  I have several things I want to do with the kids, but I also want to make sure we just relax and aren't on the go constantly!  So be on the lookout for the bucket list - I hope to get it completed soon.

We've had a great weekend.  We did some cleaning around the house and playing outside a bit here and there.  We had some Title Boxing friends and the Dawson family over last night for a big boxing fight on tv (and to be honest I don't even remember who was fighting).  Drew and Anna loved having Avery, Brooke, and their big friend, Bri over to play.  The kids ran around with Drew's Nerf guns and the adults got to enjoy some great food, drinks, and laughter.

Today we all went to visit Nana and we've been just hanging out around the house.  Drew is enjoying a nice afternoon watching a movie on the big screen while Anna sleeps away.  Oh and I think the kids stayed up the latest they ever have.  Anna stayed up until 11:30(she also chose not to nap yesterday)  and Drew made it until midnight (he did take a nap).  We all enjoyed a little sleeping in this morning. 

Until next time!

An Interview with one sweet 4.5 year old!

I've seen this idea pop up here and there on Pinterest the last few months or so and I finally decided it would be fun to try it out on Drew.  And thanks to my fellow blogger friend, Laura I just copied and pasted the questions from her site (thanks Laura!).

I wish I would have thought to do this right at Drew's 4th birthday, but I didn't.  So here are his answers for now, I'll be trying something similar at his next birthday too!

1. What is your favorite color?  Dark blue and dark black
2. What is your favorite toy? My rock and lightening McQueen gloves (Ms. Stacey just gave him the rock today and we just bought the McQueen gloves a couple hours ago - so funny)
3. What is your favorite fruit? Strawberries, bananas, grapes, and blueberries(although he hardly eats them)
4. What is your favorite TV show? Batman 
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Chocolate Sandwich
6. What is your favorite outfit? Alligator shirt (the shirt is based off a game he loves to play on the Ipad and he's very good at it too!)
7. What is your favorite game? Super Why - board game
8. What is your favorite snack? Fruit snacks
9. What is your favorite animal? Lion (random)
10. Who is your best friend? Ryan
11. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play in sandbox, ride bikes and play basketball, and play with cars in sandbox
12. What is your favorite drink? Chocolate milk
13. What is your favorite holiday? Mommy Days (he didn't really know what a holiday was so I named them off: Christmas, Easter, Halloween...etc and he came up with mommy days!!! We call the days I'm home with the kids alone "Mommy days.")
14. What do you take to bed with you every night? Bunny
15. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Peanut butter and chocolate waffles
16. What to you want to be when you grow up? Batman that drives a Batman Monster truck
17. What are you good at? (he had to get up and show me) Climbing on chair
18. What do you and Mommy like to do together? Letter things (I guess he thinks we only work on our letters)
19. What do you and Daddy like to do together? Try and fight him or try and  keep his hand down (arm wrestle)
20. What is your favorite thing to do? Go outside and play and have friends over.

Easter Celebrations

Our Easter was full of fun with family!  It is amazing all the fun that can be jammed packed into one day.  The weather was perfect so that made the day even better.

 The kids got up and we were in a bit of a rush so we got them dressed and made them wait upstairs with us until we were all ready (that was torture for Drew).  They ran to their baskets and spotted a few eggs on the way.  We then did a hunt around our living room and Anna wasn't too interested.  She just wanted to open an egg or two and eat the candy!

sleeping soundly Easter Eve

Good morning and happy Easter

sneaking a peak of what the Easter Bunny might have left him

checking out the baskets

m&m's

Tinkerbell!

he found an egg!

sneaking some bites of candy

yummy!

 Next, we headed to Susan and Dan's for a delicious brunch and an outdoor egg hunt.  It was fun seeing the two-year-olds looking for eggs.  We gave them a head start before we let the big kids loose. 

 Uncle Matt and the girls.

We then headed home to put Anna down for a nap (which of course she never fell asleep) and make some food to take to my mom's.  We quickly headed back out for a late lunch with my mom's side (about 30 or so people).  Drew and Anna ran around with their cousins, Jake and Kaitlyn.  Anna was in rare form and was showing off by being a silly girl in front of a crowd. 

Our last stop was the Howell side.  We had another Easter egg hunt and some delicious food.  Drew also got to help Pa water flowers.  We did miss Greg, Kelley, Peter, and Ben.  They were celebrating in Chicago. 

 sweet

 wearing mommy's old dress (that Ma had made for her).

 looking for eggs

 Drew helping Anna find her eggs.

 looking for those eggs

 watering the flowers

 looking a little guilty - but believe it or not neither got wet!

sweet little man - don't mind the chocolate on his face

A side note: I decided I was going to try and explain to Drew the true meaning of Easter.  was old It was interesting trying to explain to Drew what Easter really is. I tried to tell him that eggs, candy, and the Easter Bunny really isn't the most important part to the holiday.  It wasn't an easy conversation and boy does that boy ask question after question.  I've decided that Christmas is a lot easier to explain to a 4 year old than Easter is. In the end I told him that Jesus did some important things for us a long time ago so that we can have hope.  I'm pretty sure that isn't the best explanation, but it will have to do for now!

25 Months

Dear Anna,

Happy 25 months to our sweet little lady!  You’ve been a very busy little girl this last month.  You continue to talk more and more and I’m pretty sure you are speaking in paragraphs!   You talk and talk and most of the time we are very sure of what you say.  There are times though you are very talkative and we have no idea what you’ve just said! 

You typically call yourself “Nannies”, but you’ve now broadened the names you give yourself to “Nena”, “Anna”, and “baby.”  If I ask you, “Who is Nena?”  You say, “Nannies.”  You still call Drew “Rew Rew” most of the times, but you do say “Dew” from time to time.  You love your big brother.  You always ask where he is if he isn’t around.  You also tell me “daddy boxing” if he isn’t home.  Both you and your brother seem to think daddy’s job is boxing. 

You’ve spent some time in Time Out lately, mainly because you continue something you aren’t supposed to and won’t stop when asked to.  I’m not sure you really get the whole concept.  In order for you to stay in time out we have to strap you into your booster.  You just stated saying “sorry” when prompted.  Before you would refuse to say it, I think you finally figured out the faster you say sorry the sooner you get to get back to playing.  Oh and your sorry, is more like “sawwwy.”

One day in the car you got my attention and said, “How you mommy (how are you)?”  It was pretty cute.  As I mentioned in the Easter post – you are not a fan of the Easter Bunny.  You are still saying (days later) “Easter Bunny scare Nannie.” 

You have a new love for swinging.  It all started right around your birthday.  Before your birthday you rarely wanted to swing.  Now you can’t get enough, we try and get out to our backyard as much as we can so you can “fing.” You also love climbing up the slide on our swing set and the parks we go to.

You are a brave girl one minute and then you are momma’s girl the next.  I still hear a lot of “hold me, hold me mommy, hold me.”  You’ve been very shy lately and when we go places you won’t participate much, you’d rather have me hold you. 

We think you’ve been teething this past month.  You haven’t been napping well and you’ve been chewing on your hands and anything else you can get a hold of.  You even started a running nose this week.  We are hoping the naps will be back to normal once the teething is done! It is amazing though, you really aren’t all the crabby if you miss a nap.  I’m not ready for two kids that don’t nap!

It’s been a fun month and we can’t wait to see what’s to come. 

Love you baby girl,

Mommy and Daddy

Half Birthday!!!!

Dear Drew,

Happy half birthday to you!  I can’t believe your  4^th year is halfway through.  My sweet little boy is growing up so fast.  I told today that it was your half birthday and that you are now 4.5.  You thought about it for a few moments and then you said, “Where are my presents?”    You also said, “Is my party tomorrow?”  You poor little man, we didn’t do anything special for your big day, I think you were just a little disappointed! 

Some of your favorite things to do these days are playing in your sandbox with the neighbors, playing spies, playing with cars, and playing super heroes.  You love playing games with daddy and I too.  You and Anna have a lot of fun playing together.  You love it when she tries to tackle you and you are a great sport and are very gentle with her.  The other day you even helped her get buckled in her seat and then helped her get down (which she does on her own all the time) by picking her up.  You are such a sweet boy!

You are getting braver and braver when it comes to playing with the neighbors.  You are always on the lookout for someone to play with.  You typically go right up to the kids and join in, daddy and I are so proud of you! 

You still love school and often ask when the next school day is.  You are still very shy walking down the halls with me in the morning.  All of my teacher friends stop and talk to you and you typically hide behind me.  We are working on “being polite and saying hi back.”  I’ve also been talking to you about looking at someone when you speak to them – it will happen all in good time.  Now in your own class you are very comfortable with the kids and your teachers.  You even had your first time out in class.  You and your friend were crawling under the bathroom stalls several times.  After you were asked to stop twice and you still did it, you got a little break.  I later asked you what happened and you said you had to go time out because you got dirty on the floor.  You and the same little buddy have also been talking a little “potty talk.”  So that is an area we’ll be working on!

You are starting to get a little more interested in your bike.  You are still very timid but you can pretty much ride around on the driveway with very little problems.  I am probably going to go get your some knee and elbow pads, because if you skin anything centimeter of your body you are pretty much out for a week – you take your boo boos very seriously!  I hope that by the end of the summer you are racing up and down the sidewalk and going on walks with me (you riding your bike of course with ease).  I don’t think we’ll attempt no training wheels for a while!

Here are some funny sayings/conversations:

Over spring break we were doing a little clothing shopping.  You were playing Legos at one store and started talking to a little girl.  You were talking about how your dad was at work and she said her mom was and then you asked if he dad was working and she said, “I don’t have a daddy.”  You then said, “You don’t?!?!” Then you said, “You should get one!”  It was so sweet and so innocent.  It sure means you think a lot of your daddy!

When we were getting ready for Anna’s birthday party, you asked, “Is Anna having a small birthday party?”  I said it would be like yours and you said, “She’s smaller than me so she should have a smaller one.”  Then you told me, “I’m bored with my toys.”  I then said, “We can pack them up and get rid of them.”  Then you said,  “Nevermind.”  And that was the end of that.   You weren’t looking forward to Anna getting all the attention and birthday presents.  You little stinker!

You love reading all the signs when we are out and about and riding in the car.  You pointed to a no parking sign and said, “Look it is a no “r” sign.”  Since then you’ve decided it was a no “P” sign. 

You have also said, “Heavens sake” a few times.

You are aware that there are some adult super hero movies and we’ve told you that you have to be older to watch them.  One day you woke up and asked me, “Am I older today mom”?  I said that you were and then you said, “I can watch daddy’s Batman movie now!”  You weren’t too happy when I said no!  We were talking another day not long after the last comment and I told you that you’ll be an adult when you are eighteen, you stopped and thought for a moment and then said, “That is when I can watch Daddy’s Batman movie.”  I agreed to that!

You now say, “Will you take a look at this?” when you want us to look at something.  So funny!

You went on a roller coaster for the first time at Zonkers.  You were very brave about doing it and you got on with Celia.  But once it started moving you were terrified and it was awful watching.  I knew you were safe and that you’d be fine, but it was the most awful thing to watch because I couldn’t stop it and hearing you scream out in fear was horrible!  So hopefully we both get over it soon!  When you got off you had a very brave look on your face (the tears went away) and you said, “I never want to do that again.”

Happy half birthday little man!

We love you,

Mommy and Daddy

A Little Pre-Easter Fun!!!

It is hard to believe Easter will be here tomorrow.  We started getting prepared last night for the big celebration.  We headed to see the Easter Bunny at Bass Pro on Friday night.  We got there about 20 minutes before the Easter Bunny was due to show up and we were 2nd in line. Not long after we got there, mobs and mobs of people showed up. 

Just a little shopping while they waited for the bunny.

 one excited little boy

 This little boy got to visit the bunny solo - Anna was scared to death and was clinging onto me for her life.

 Once we got outside and away from the bunny, our little girl settled down and posed for a couple pictures with her brother.

Two adorable children.

 This morning we headed to a Easter Egg hunt with Ma and Pa and the cousin at Brookridge Country Club.  It didn't end up being a hunt due to the rainy weather.  So we went inside and each kid got to count out ten eggs out of a big bowl.  The kids didn't seem to disappointed, they still got to enjoy some candy. 

 enjoying his candy

 she got a ring!

 We even got to visit the Easter Bunny - Anna sat this one out and even insisted on leaving the room where the bunny was.

 This afternoon we got to dye some eggs.  Both kids were very into it this year.  It was so much fun!

 

 such concentration

writing his name

 love those eyelashes!

 We have a few eggs that aren't quite the prettiest - both kids wanted to put one egg in every color.

We headed to church tonight.  It was a great service (as always).  Anna went to the nursery and she wasn't too happy about it.  When we first walked into church, she said "No kids mommy" (meaning no nursery).  She cried a little when I dropped her off, but she was all smiles when we came to get here and she said, "Kids fun."  Drew opted to sit with us and did ok, he was rather wiggly.  I'm thinking he'll choose "church school" next time we go.

 The Easter Bunny has 50 eggs to hide...better get to work!

 Baskets are ready!

We can't wait to see the kids' faces tomorrow morning!!!