Fall Fun

Recently

We have been busy trying to stay positive in this cold weather.  After a major snowstorm on Monday, we have had 2 days of sunshine.  Wow, what a difference a little vitamin d makes!  I realize it is pathetic that 40 feels like 65, but at this point we will take what we can get. 

Kevin was home Monday for President's Day, so Andrew and I got to take a walk in the middle of the snowstorm while Mae napped.  We escaped the house during this break in the snow.  Look at this crazy picture, totally surrounded by snow.  We had fun getting a beverage at Colectivo and playing in the snow.

Last week, the kids had a fun Valentine's Day.  Really, what's not to love?  But, wow, this holiday sure is a lot of work for the moms...with the parties, cards, treats, etc.!  This year, I got the kids a little gift which they thought was from "Cupid."  Apparently, Cupid is the Valentine's Day Easter bunny or something.  No kids.  Mom gets credit for these gifts. 

 

                   

 

And by the end of the day, each of the kids had dumped a bag full of Valentines loot onto the kitchen table. 

                         

 

In other news, Mae finally has enough hair to wear bows and she is making up for lost time. 

          

          

Wearing multiple bows could also have something to do with her latest developmental milestone.  Hoarding.  She is not into moderation lately.  If she can have one of something why not three?

Here we are buying paint.

                         

Here she is taking her nap, with 5 stuffed animals.

                                                         And here she is with a head full of bows. 

                                         

 

The kids have started swimming lessons with a focus on pool safety.  AKA show some respect for (fear of) the water so your mom doesn't have a heart attack on vacation!  The kids were very excited.  After just one lesson, the teacher has noticed that she needs to work on stamina with Grace.  She said she has so much energy, that she is worried she will exhaust herself very quickly.  That is our Grace!

                              

And for good measure, here is a very Andrew picture.  Giving Mae a sloppy kiss, and treating us all to a view of his plumbers crack..a view we see quite often around here.

2+2=4

After a marathon Christmas break, the kids are all back to school.  Thank you Jesus!  I was officially done with Christmas by 12/24, so getting back to our routine has been long overdue. 

The rainbow loom saved me from losing it with Grace.
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse saved me from losing it with Mae.  (Actually, I can't imagine getting sick of her cute little face...I mean really, look at her!  But the TV sure came in handy.)

But nothing has saved me from losing it with Andrew.               

Some intense milk drinking at Alterra.  Note the 2 straws. 

After I told him I wanted to drop kick him into Lake Michigan (don't worry, he knew I was kidding)...  I came to the realization that 1 four year old "Andrew" is equal to 2 two year olds.  Naughty, whiny two year olds.

Lots of this...
"But Mommy, I cannot clean up this mess.  My hands are soooo small.  I am soooo tired.  My back hurts sooooo much."
Followed by:
"I am the strongest person in the whole wide world!  I am the Incredible Hulk!  Look at my skin!  It be turning green.  AHHHHH!"

"Mommy, I cannot eat that because my nose is runny.  And I cannot stop crying, until someone gets me a tissue!!!!!"
Followed by:

"I not want the syrup on that side of the pancake.  I want syrup on the hodder (other) side!  AHHHH!"

"Oh Mommy, I love you sooooooo much.  I just want to kiss your face all day."
 Followed by a big hug and:
"Oops, I got a big booger on you."

But he is cute when he sleeps.  

And he is cute when he crawls in bed with me and asks to cuddle.  

He is cute when he dances to songs we shouldn't let our children listen to.


And he is cute when he wears these glasses.

So we will keep him....for now. 

Recently

Such a busy time of year, isn't it?  We are having fun with lots of Christmas parties and activities.  I am not fond of the 4 (yes 4!) Christmas concerts I am supposed to manage.  With Kevin working a lot and often on the road, the kids have spent a lot of time putting up with a stressed mommy.  And a lot of time playing together on the iPad.  Such good kids.

 

Andrew has been in a very, very silly phase lately.  He loves building forts, chasing Mae, and talking about how he is going to be Batman when he grows up.  In fact, he said that is what he is giving me for Christmas...my gift is the fact that I get to wipe the butt of the future Batman.  Lucky me! Gift receipt???

 

Andrew is also trying to accomplish the impossible goal of not getting any snow on his boots, mittens or pants.  Which just means Mom carries Andrew around all the time and Andrew takes his "wet" pants off when he gets home and runs around in his undies.

In Mae news, she got her first haircut.  Yes, I agreed to cut the mullet.  I still don't feel like it was my mullet to cut, but the deed has been done.  Sweet little Mae, just sat calmly in the seat and didn't fuss at all.  She is such a good girl.

 

Lately, Mae has been really into taking all the DVDs off the shelves in that basement.  Its her new hobby.  Its all the rage for the under 2yr set.  Basically, its their rainbow loom.  Which has prompted us to have some new built-ins designed....with very high DVD storage.

Mae also loves to, "Bee bo!", which means "Read book!"  She carries books around all day, and when she gets a chance she throws them at me (hard!) and says "Bee bo!".  Then I have no choice but to sit down and let her plop down in my lap...and we bee bo. 

 

Mae is still loving giraffes.  So we go to the zoo where there are now 4 giraffes for her to see.  So fun!

 

I don't have a Grace update....I am going to have to do a special post about my smart girl Grace.  She is a social butterfly and is doing very well in school. 

 

So sometimes I post pictures of a pulled together, pretty scene from my life.

 

 

And sometimes I post pictures of this. I cleaned my car a few weeks ago and this is what I found under Mae's carseat.  Keepin' it real.   Real and gross.

 

Recently 7

Since I haven't been that timely with the blog lately, here are some random shots from my phone.

I took a day off of work to get some stuff done for the remodel and hang out with Grace.  I had 2 hours with nothing to do and I had no idea what to do with myself!  So I took a walk to a nearby park.

We made an impromptu trip to the zoo with our friends.  I have so many photos of my kids in front of this statue - I will have to do a separate post on that!

My sweet Andrew.

Andrew and I were enjoying a beverage at Alterra and selecting paint colors.  We are getting an Alterra a few blocks away from our house this weekend.  Frankly, I am a little too excited about this.

Grace on her last day of 5K.

Now that the weather is nice, we have been going to the pool every weekend.  I am really not a pool fan, but the kids and Kevin love it.  Grace is a great little swimmer and Andrew is a maniac.  There is literally nothing he is scared of....which makes me very, very scared.  He jumps, does cannon balls and tries to dive off the diving board.  He is the youngest kid up there and he has absolutely no fear.   The first time he went up on the board this year, I walked him up there.  As we were climbing the ladder, I could hear him saying to himself..."This is sooo scary...this is sooo high..." and then he walked right off the end.  The funny part is that he is in swim class.  A swim class for 3 year olds.  Where they learn to blow bubbles and put their face under water....lets just say Andrew is a little advanced for that one. 

Mae is also a little wild in the water.  She loves it and wants to be under water, like her face under water.  She loves to "jump" off the side and splash.  She is a sweet little summer baby.

Fancy Mae and the Guacamole

A few weeks ago Amy and Justin were in town.  Mae was being fancy that day with her new headband (yes she does insist on wearing one every once in a while) and butterfly wings.

 Isn't she so sweet?

And dainty with her little cracker?

 Why yes.  Until she saw the guacamole!

I heard she ate half the bowl.

 

Headband gone, wings askew, tummy hanging out...oh Mae!  

And while Mae ate, Grace played soccer and giggled.  

 And Andrew was in heaven playing (or whatever you call this) with Uncle Justin.  I guess playing with Andrew is basically like playing with a puppy.  Sweet, determined, easily exhausted and somewhat stinky.

A hug and a kiss and a rub

Every night for months now, both Grace and Andrew have to say goodnight to Mae and give her "a hug and a kiss and a rub." The rub is a soft rub on her head. For good luck, I guess. Sometimes Andrew says he needs to "soft her head". Too cute.

Dinnertime

I dread the dinner hour these days.  Actually, I hate it.  Nothing is more annoying.  Nothing highlights all of my many parenting shortcomings like the dinner hour.  I love having people over for dinner, but I really hate subjecting them to the chaos.

Grace and Andrew act insane and spend the entire time complaining about the meal I just made them.  Then they try to negotiate their way out of eating it. 

"It have parts!  I not want that!  AHHHH!  THAT BE YUCKY! THAT BE A VEGETABLE!  GET IT OFF MY PLATE!" Andrew

"Uh Mom, how much do I have to eat?  Can I just eat like one piece?  If I eat two pieces can I have dessert?" Grace

They argue over who gets to say their prayer first. Which usually ends up with someone yelling a prayer, someone crying, and me making some ridiculous, unenforceable threat about not being allowed to pray.

As soon as I sit down, I am repeatedly asked for more milk!  A napkin!  More water! A spoon!  A different spoon!  No the little spoon!  No the big spoon!  Ketchup!  A hot dog!  I could go on and on and on.

And they look so innocent don't they?

On the other hand, Miss Mae is a little angel at dinner. 

 She will eat whatever we put in front of her.  Tonight she had ham, chicken, pizza, cheerios, pineapple and applesauce!

Although she misses her mouth a lot and leaves quite a mess under her high chair, she will actually clean it up.  I simply put her on the floor after dinner and she acts like a little vacuum cleaning up all the food.  I am not kidding.  I just tell myself she is working on her fine motor skills and building immunity at the same time.  Multi-tasking at such a young age.  Impressive!

 See?  She has a little piece of shredded cheese in her hand.  Excellent pincer grasp.