Birthday Parties!

We had a few girl friends over for a birthday party, followed by a family birthday party. It was a day full of fun, presents, and (of course) cake!

Family party

Caroline turns three!

I can't believe it. My baby girl has turned three! She had a little cupcake party at school.


She requested shrimp for her birthday dinner, so she happily dined on shrimp, edamame, and sushi (of all things!).

I made a cake and BB brought my favorite bakery cake, so we got to munch on TWO cakes. Hello sugar high! Afterwards, Clayton ran around like a wind-up toy and all he could say was "Cu-cake" for the rest of the night!

What a great birthday for both of us!

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day was complete with red roses and a carry-out dinner from an italian restaurant. (I gave myself a break from cooking a fancy meal like I normally do for post-kids Valentine's Day and played the 8 months pregnant card.)

The kids had heart shaped toast, sandwiches, and cookies, red balloons, a red heart hunt around the living room, and lots of love.

My Dad also came over for dinner (his sweetheart is in Florida).

It was a good day!

Valentine's Day Surprise

Look what arrived at the door today! It was a surprise from Kevin.

My sweet husband surprised me by sending me red roses for Valentine's Day!

He's never done that before and it was such a wonderful surprise.

It definitely brought a huge smile to my face.

Happy 18 month birthday Clayton Matthew!

Eating "egg-free" cupcakes

and playing with half-birthday balloons!

Future computer tech?

Clayton sees me typing on my computer now and then and started begging to get up and try it himself. So, I put him up on the chair and he grabbed the mouse just like a pro. I ran to the laundry room for a second, and when I came back, he had changed the computer background from the default "Dell" blue to a picture of himself! I don't even know how to change the background and he was able to not only change it in 4 seconds, but to a picture of himself!

Winter boredom?

Ugh - we are SO tired of being inside all the time and are just getting bored with the same old toys, games, and activities every day. We tried one new one this week that I thought I'd share - bubbles (typically an outside activity at our house.) I plunked the kids in the bath, and then blew bubbles all over the bathroom. They loved it!

Superbowl!

Well, the kids didn't exactly watch the superbowl this year, but they did wear football jerseys and eat chili. Baby steps...baby steps...

Preschool

It was my turn to be the parent helper at Caroline's preschool again. The kids got to "make snow" (via a snowcone maker) and had a yoga session. I truly love getting to watch Caroline experience school.

Good thing...

"Good thing I'm this cute, because I've been waking up at 5:00 am on the dot EVERY SINGLE MORNING!"

Thanks Daddy!

Thanks Daddy for all you do for your family!

Day by day

We're taking it day by day. I moved Clayton to one nap last week and it was a ROUGH week. He also wasn't feeling real well and wanted to be held pretty much from the time he woke up in the morning, until the time he went to bed at night. Any second he was put down, he wailed "MAMA!!!!" He was a fussy mess! Poor little guy. This week has been much better. We've also been very cooped up because it is like Arctic cold outside. This week has been a little warmer, so we went to the indoor playground at the mall. Clayton LOVED it and was running around grinning from ear to ear.

enormous...

OK, I've had requests to post the enormous belly. Well folks, here it is...

It actually looks even bigger in person, but this will have to do.

Growing with Mr. Bear - 17 months

Clayton Growing with Mr. Bear at 17 months!


Her's grown so much from a year ago!

Winter wonderland!

30 weeks

Well, I've made it to 30 weeks! Just 10 (or hopefully about 8) more to go!

Enjoying the new toys...

2009 has officially begun. Caroline is in a stage where she regularly alternates between naughty (waxing our wood floor with an entire tube of chapstick, drawing with markers all over her wood desk, defiant NOs when asked to do something, etc.) and nice (asking if she can give us another hug, singing Silent Night with us before bed, helping out around the house). Clayton is busy walking as fast as he can pretty much anywhere he can escape to. (The favorite being the powder room where he has learned how to turn on the faucet, or up the stairs to his room where he can flip the light switch on and off.) He also is in a VERY clingy stage and from about 5:00 pm on wants nothing but to be held by Mama. (Yes, the background music for my making dinner these days is crying and dramatic laments of "MAMA!!!!!" with a toddler wrapped around my legs!) But...even with the trying times...I sure do love those kids!!!!!

Clayton in the new tent


The kids love playing with their new kitchen...especially the microwave!


Oh...so nice...

Happy New Year!!!

Christmas carols (the last of 2008)