Hiding

It always makes me nervous when the room the boys are in is suddenly silent. And then when I hear a stifled giggle - the nervousness turns into fear.

Even worse, I walk into the room where I heard the little giggle and I can't find either child.

Oh hey mom, we're just hanging out. You know how cool it is under the Excersaucer.

Bike Riding Success!

As soon as the weather turned warm, meaning over 40*, the kids were ready to ride their bikes again. We spent all last summer helping Lily try to ride without her training wheels. This year she didn't have much of a choice. All of the bikes that were her size didn't come with training wheels...or at least there weren't any in stock at Toys R Us when we went.

She desperately wanted this bike and since it didn't come with training wheels a deal was made. If she wanted this bike then she had to commit to learn to ride with two wheels. Within three days she and Brian worked hard enough that she was riding on her own.

Jamison's goal this summer is to stick to the side of the road. He gets distracted looking around and drives all over the place. Lily drives in the same circle over and over and never changes her path. Only once has he ran into Lily, which I consider a success. She freaked out because she didn't want to veer from her path and Jamison was just wavering all over the place. Such insight into their personalities.

And speaking of insight into personalities....

Irresistable

There aren't very many differences between these pictures.

And I debated on posting them since I have a thing about my children's modesty.

But who can resist the rolls?! Rolls definitely needs to go into the "pro" column when deciding on whether or not to have children.

Saturdays from 10-11

Jamison was so excited to start soccer a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, there is something about my children, possibly a chemical reaction, I don't know, that causes them to love the idea of soccer...but not so much the actual game. He gets so hyper when we drive by the soccer fields, but once he gets on the field his attitude down-shifts. Brian is assistant coaching Jamison's team like he did for Lily's.

I've grouped these pictures into different categories.

PLAYING
He does try to play the game a bit when he's on the field.

POUTING

This is most of what he does during the game. There are a variety of reasons: he wants the ball more often, it's not fair that someone else got the goal, there are too many other kids on the field, his legs hurt, he's hungry, he's thirsty, etc...

This one wasn't so much pouting as it was funny that he just stood in the middle of the field scratching his stomach.

LILY & PATRICK

Our friends, the Lizzi's, also have a daughter that plays soccer. Her older sister and Lily are friends.

Patrick even tries to get involved.

I just love the glam sun glasses with the missing tooth.

DAD-TIME

I'm starting to think that Jamison sees soccer more as spending time with dad more than anything else. And we're ok with that....if he didn't also pout every other 5 minutes.

Jamie likes to head butt Brian's legs, and while usually it's saved for play time at home, he has no qualms doing it in the middle of a soccer game.

Or telling a secret. Although he could have been trying to give Brian a headlock, I'm not sure. I just take the pictures I don't usually know what's going on.

Bathtime

I bet you thought this post would be all about a chubby 9 month old baby. Since you expected it, I won't let you down:

He looks so innocent in the tub...(don't babies have great posture?!)

so happy and peaceful....

until he splashes. Then it gets serious and violent!

I used to bring a book into the bathroom during his baths but he kept drenching all the pages.

And here, doesn't he look sweet? Not doing anything dangerous or unsafe...

until he starts to crawl in the tub. There have been a number of baths when I have sat him up from the crawling position over 20 times...but he kept going back. A few times he would slip and his face would go under water before I scooped him out. I tried to explain that will happen when you attempt to crawl in a slippery tub, but he was not convinced.

But really, the Master of the Baths in our house is Jamison. The kids take 2-3 baths a day. Oddly, he still never comes out 100% clean.

He takes baths for entertainment purposes only. Since he stays in there for about 20 minutes at a time, I'm more than happy to pay my water bill and be eco-unfriendly.

And yes, he is wearing his swimming shirt in the tub with goggles. I don't care - 20 MINUTES OF FREE TIME PEOPLE!

The only restriction I have put on him for tub time is no food. He endlessly asks for me to bring him some scrambled eggs or cheese and crackers while he's in the tub. I put my foot down there.

Unfortunately, since we have three bathtubs, he tends to rotate and leave a mess in his wake. Again, I don't care, should I repeat that he stays in the tub for 20 MINUTES??!

Easter Weekend

I took a lot of pictures this weekend - don't say I didn't warn you.

Our Easter weekend started with an Easter brunch and egg hunt. The kids decorated cupcakes and were over-loaded on sugar by 11am.

Patrick was just happy to sit and watch.

He also took his first sip of water from a cup.

He wasn't quite sure about it but kept taking sips when I offered it.

That afternoon Lily and Brian made Grandma's rolls for Easter lunch and Patrick watched.

Later, the kids opened up their gift package from Nana and Poppa, which they always love to receive!

I know these pictures are almost identical, but the kid is so smiley! I can't help it.

For some reason, Jamison is in this "cool guy" phase and he says it whenever I ask him to take a picture. He'll also declare something a "cool trick" if he does something impressive. I have no idea where it came from.

Next, we dyed eggs. You might notice that my kids are always in pajamas. I promise that they do wear regular clothes, they just change out of them at every chance they can. I can only say I'm glad that Jamison is dressed, as naked is his other everyday outfit. I've honestly gotten into arguments with him over the necessity of underpants.

Patrick munched on some crackers.

Next, Lily put her grand Easter scheme into action. Little did I know she had one, until I saw her intensely writing and running around the house. When she finished, she showed me where she posted multiple instructions to the Easter bunny on the wall. Since the note was written in yellow marker, I re-wrote it word for word, including the adorable typos:

There are eggs. We hid them for you! In the one that doesn't look like the others has candy. Find the puzzal pissis next (this word is circled) to the eggs (this word is also circled). Easter puzzal. Leave a toy for the baby? please?

Please write me a note right here

ps can you put a egg in our bedrooms? Put in baskets. I love Easter!

She then proceeded to hide eggs and puzzle pieces around the house. I didn't think about it until 9pm that night but then I realized I had to be the Easter bunny and collect all the pieces of the puzzle. I then had to find the one odd egg that had candy in it. This took me about 30 minutes. Lily is really good at hiding eggs and puzzle pieces. This is a talent I did not know she had and I wished I had known it earlier in the evening. I still couldn't find the last piece and had to make up some excuse that the bunny was very busy last night and didn't have the time to find all of the pieces.

Easter morning

Jamison was not given one of his gifts because he found it in its' hiding place in the basement a few days earlier. After I told him to not go in that area of the basement he decided to try again. Lily ran to tell me that he was hiding behind the couch opening his toy. So Jamison lost the toy.

Lily can get a little competitive, finding Easter eggs not being an exception.

The boy loves his Reese's.

Patrick's basket

The toys were interesting, but not as much as the basket itself.

We hope everyone had a Happy Easter!