18 Months Old!!

Nate making his silly face.

Sweet soft baby hair
You run away snuggling your bear
No escape! It's off to my bed
This tickle monster must be fed!!
The monster starts at your sweet toes
And she eats all the way up to your nose
Giggles erupt when she eats your Buddha belly
You are much yummier than peanut butter and jelly
Your sweet, baby boy laugh makes me smile
I guess the tickle monster will stop for a while
Soon you give me a great big hug
I am the luckiest mom to have you, doodle bug.

Going Outside

When it was super cold last week, I was not about to go outside. Nate had different ideas. He wanted his coat on and then he insisted on going outside. He was not happy that I would not give in to his demands. He waited at the door (not happily) for a long time and then he finally gave up and just walked around the house with his coat on! Stinkpot!

What do you mean I can't go outside!

I am going to wait at this door until you let me out!!

Sick Cade

This is what a sick Cade looks like. Luckily, it was just the 24 hour stomach bug. Keep your fingers crossed that he did not share!

Final Product

I am very sad that this cute picture turned out so blurry!

First Haircut

Nate had his first haircut yesterday. He doesn't have a lot of hair, but what he had was looking shaggy. He loved the haircut!!! He was smiling and laughing. He thought the shears were great fun!

P*R*E*S*S*U*R*E!!!!!!

Chase had his first experience with the TAKS test on Tuesday. It was stressful, to say the least. The school has been working the kids up into a frenzy. Practice tests, strategies, pep rallies, tips on what to eat for breakfast, goody bags, etc... Chase got up Tuesday morning and he was a bundle of nerves. He had forgotten to do something so he was doing it really fast and he got super emotional. As he walked out the door for school his final words were that he was scared. I worried about him all day! He came home tired. He survived the test but he said that his head and tummy hurt! He also said that he got emotional and had to leave the room when he started to read the encouragement note that I had sent for his goody bag. He couldn't even read it all at the time. He glanced at the bottom of the note and saw that I had put that we all loved him, especially Nate. He said that part made him feel emotional. He said that the note made him feel so happy that he got emotional. I don't know about this much pressure on him! Maybe it is good because he has to learn to deal with pressure in his life but it just seems like it is sooooo much pressure. So glad it's over (for this time).

Valentine's Day Parties

The boys had their Valentine's Day parties on Wednesday afternoon. Nate was so excited when he saw Chase. Here is Chase helping Nate play the air guitar. I was only able to sneak a quick peek at Dylan's party.

Dylan's Field Trip

Dylan in a sea of kids.

Mark and I were both able to go to Dylan's field trip on Wednesday. We went to go see "Jack and the Beanstalk" at Casa Manana. The kids had a great time. They all oohed and aahed when the set changed to the giant's house. After the field trip was over, Mark and I actually got to eat lunch together - without kids!! Great day!

No School Today

Cade and Nate did not have preschool on Friday because a water pipe broke at school. Cade's friends, Luke and Lily, were supposed to come home from school with Cade. They were able to come over and play even though they did not have school. Cade and Nate had to go with me to an appointment in the morning (the family was fine with my kids coming). They were absolute angels at my appointment although one of Nate's bears got left behind. We then stopped to pick up my computer. It has been gone for 2 weeks for repair (second attempt). They could not find my computer for the longest time. They finally found it and it is still not fixed!!!!! So it is being shipped off again. Two more weeks without my computer. That is NOT good. Then it was play time for Cade. He was so excited to have his friends over. Lily is his girlfriend! She was telling me that she had 2 boyfriends, Cade and another little boy in their class. I asked Cade if that was okay but he feels that Lily should only have 1 boyfriend (him of course). Lily played with Nate and Luke and Cade played together. They had a great time. I can't believe that this is Cade's last year of preschool! There is no way he is old enough for Kindergarten!

Lily had the best time playing with Nate! She was sad when he went down for a nap. She kept saying that she heard him awake so I needed to go get him:)

Luke and Cade making silly faces!

Cade made me laugh the other day. We were having sloppy joes for dinner. We had them a month or so before and Mark had put Cheetos on his just to be silly. Cade thought it was hysterical. Mark and I had forgotten about it until Cade sees what we are having and goes running to get the Cheetos!! He is going to grow up warped!

More Park Pictures

Sunny Days

Nate loves walking around with this net on his head. Notice he has his bear with him! He has also turned into a big camera hog. He sees the camera and he moves into place! At preschool, they were taking pictures of the kids and Nate went up to them and said "Cheese". He did not want to get left out! After I take his picture, he looks at the back of the camera so that he can see the picture. Nate has also decided that he does not like it when his brothers are playing the Game Cube (because they aren't playing with him). At first he tried just turning off the t.v. but that didn't get the desired results. Now, he stealthily opens the Game Cube then he removes the game and makes a mad dash to Chase's room. That gets him good attention and a game of chase!!

After the cold, cold weather, it was wonderful to have some warm days. We took advantage of it by going to the park 2 days in a row. It is cold again, but the warm days were refreshing. I can't wait for Spring!

Pitiful

Nate woke up sick from his nap on Saturday. What makes him feel better? His bear, Wiggles, and a juice cup (and of course Mommy)

Luckily it was a short lived bug and he was much better by Sunday afternoon. He slept in until almost 10 on Sunday morning! He seems to be his normal self today!

An Ode to Laundry

I woke up this morning and what did I see?
Lovely piles of laundry beckoning me.
There are socks in the bathroom and jeans on the floor
And stinky items that boys just wore.
I wade through the piles that seem to be grow higher
And enter the room with my washer and dryer
Large capacity angels, they have an overwhelming job
To clean all the clothes for my sweet mob.
Dirty clothes go in and clean clothes appear.
Does that mean the end of the job is near?
I look around and what do I behold?
Piles of laundry for me to fold!
I'd like to say that they don't stay there long
But that would be very, very wrong.
They stay on my couch, they're always right there
Need some socks? Go dig out a pair.
Eventually they are folded and put away
Although it rarely happens all in the same day
Let's hear a cheer - my laundry's complete!
For a family this big, that is quite a feat!
I crawl into bed and dream sweet things
About the fresh joys that a new day brings.
I woke up this morning and what did I see?
Lovely piles of laundry beckoning me.

Let it Snow

Nate kept saying - no, no (snow, snow) He was very excited!

Cade tasting the snow. "Mommy, the snow is just water!" When I showed him that it was snowing he said, "Wow!! Is it Christmas?!" Made me laugh. We will see if this keeps up. Maybe tomorrow will be another snow day?

Cade would play Game Cube all day if I would let him. I tell him it is time to turn it off because his brain is being fried. I look in his ears and confirm that his brains are in fact being turned into mush. He finds this very funny. Today, he came up to me while I was typing (Nate's nap time is my work time). He informed me that my brains were being fried! Funny boy!

Hey Good Looking, What you got Cooking?

Nate "cooking" He loves his play food and play cooking supplies. Now I just need to find a good boy appropriate (no pink!) toy kitchen that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I am keeping my eye on Craig's list!

Nate watching his favorite show - The Wiggles!! He is singing to the songs and trying to do the motions. It is so sweet.

I love Nate's crazy hair in this picture. I could have combed it, but it looked so super cute. Nate fun new trick is to get something that he knows he is not supposed to have. He will then look at you, smile very mischievously, and quickly run for his life laughing all the way. When you remove said object from his tight grip he screams as if you have just injured him mightily. What a fun game!