Sunday, April 26, 2015

Party Animals

This weekend has been defined by what party we happen to be attending, and the kids have been wonderful and have loved every minute of it.

Friday we started our party train with a little family birthday dinner for Tony. The kids and I were planning something fun for Tony's birthday, but the rain caused us to postpone our surprise, so we opted for an early dinner instead at a local Mexican food restaurant. The kids had a great time eating tortillas and beans and rice. I asked Jack if he had wished his daddy a happy birthday yet, and Jack replied, "it's MY birthday!" So far, Jack has been convinced that every birthday party we've attended this year has somehow fallen on his birthday too.  After dinner a storm was rolling in, so we headed home and Tony rounded out his birthday with some ice cream and an early bed time.
Saturday we hit the gym, ran some errands and then rested before we headed to a birthday party. This party was extra special because they had a bounce house. Jack and Harper had looked forward to this for a week and were even eager to take their nap before the party (because we told them if they didn't nap, we couldn't go to the bounce house). Jack and Harper loved bouncing and Harper even got brave enough to slide down the slide by herself. Jack, on the other hand, watched the bigger kids and not only slid down the slide by himself, but he also learned how to climb up the slide. Harper watched him and soon she was climbing up the slide too. Jack and Harper would leave the bounce house to get a drink, or grab a quick snack, and then it was right back in. I got in to jump with the kids and Harper wanted to climb up the slide, so she yelled "Momma, I need you!" This melt my heart- I know that years from now after hearing "Mom, I need you" a thousand times, I'll get sick of it, but right now, I love hearing that. I hope I always do.  Oh, Harper also got fed up with her daddy. When she got to the top of the slide, she would yell "Daddy, look at me!" and he was talking to other people, and he didn't pay attention. So, Harper slid down the slide, walked over and said "Tony! Tony!" until her daddy turned and looked at her, shocked. It was so funny to hear her say "Tony", and she was so proud of herself that she got her daddy's attention. 


We laughed so much at the party on Saturday and we got to hang out with our friends- it was a great day. Aside from the bounce house, the kids also played inside, and they both took their turns on the karaoke machine- too funny!

Saturday night the kids went from the bounce house to bed and woke up Sunday morning talking about wanting to bounce again...well, that turned out to be perfect because we had another party Sunday and another bounce house! Sunday was the NICU reunion party at the hospital where our little ones were born and spent the first 54 and 74 days on their lives- their first home. This is our third NICU reunion party, and each year I feel more thankful and grateful for the wonderful doctors and nurses and therapists that helped Harper and Jack live. They were so little when they first saw those hospital walls- too tiny to live on their own- and now today they went to the same hospital, inside those same walls, and they laughed and played, bounced in a bounce house, rode a train, took funny pictures, and ate snow cones- they lived and today they are living well- they live as a result of the hard work of those who helped them survive. My favorite pictures of the weekend are of those two beautiful kids walking out of the hospital-thank you, Lord, for the gifts we've been given. 






Tonight we rounded out our weekend with a trip to the grocery store and some errands and family dinner. Those two little loves cracked us up telling us about their weekend and their favorite things and what they remembered. I pray that we always have dinner time conversations and our table is filled with laughter and compassion and curiosity and love. 

To end the post, I'm adding some pictures of our week- just us hanging around. Everything from Jack's tower city- something that he's really been into lately, to Harper helping me cook blueberry muffins (she was licking the measuring cup after we put the almond butter in). There's also a funny picture of Harper watching TV in the laundry basket because Jack wouldn't push her around the house. I also decided to take some shots of the kids right after their baths (Jack did not want me to dry his hair) and I have some pics of our bedtime routine and Jack's new favorite bedtime buddy- Peter Rabbit. I'm sure I'll forget all about this one day, and I want them to see how cute they look in those sleep sacks, or as Harper says "Sleepy-saps".







Our weekend was full of parties, but our kids were wonderful and Tony and I are both so proud of them for being well-mannered (I love to hear them say "please" and "thank you"), kind, funny, and compliant- we didn't even have too much of a fit when we left each party. Poor Jack even skinned up his knees and his crying only lasted a few minutes. I am thankful they are such cuties and I am thankful Tony and I get to embark on all of these adventures with them- I can't wait to see what comes next.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Simple Moments

I feel like I start every blog with "this was a busy weekend", so this time I am pleased to start the blog with " this was a lazy, fun, easy-going weekend which paired nicely with our easy going week and our little explorers who are teaching us that sometimes slower is better.

In fact, this week we've had a chance to slow down and take in a few moments with the kids that make me smile as I look back on them. Here's a shot of Harper and her daddy playing Little People one night after dinner. This girl knows how to stall getting ready for bed and putting on her pjs, but I just couldn't break up a moment like this...

While Harper and Tony were playing Little People, Jack was in the front room building and knocking down towers. That little man was determined that he would make the tower "bigger" and "bigger" and I loved watching him laugh when it fell instead of getting frustrated and he would start his tower over again.

These two little ones have also become the king and queen of silly comments and one-liners. For instance, tonight we played outside and Jack came in smelling like an outdoor boy and I said "you smell like a puppy dog" to which he laughed and said "no! I smell like poop!" (Tony had told him he smelled like poop earlier in the afternoon and then he chased Jack down to change his diaper). Apparently, Jack doesn't realize that once you get the dirty diaper off, the smell evacuates as well. 

Jack and Harper also watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse this week and Jack was sitting on the house just laughing. I asked him what was funny and he said "Pluto turned into a baby!" Sure enough, I looked at the TV and somehow Pluto had turned into a puppy instead of a big dog. Jack thought that was hilarious. He has also been saying "Oh" and then laughing "hehehe" For instance, Jack was trying to eat something by scooping it on his fork and I said "try and stab it silly" to which he replied "oh..hehehehe" and grinned. I love his little laugh. Here's a shot of Mr. Jack playing drums along with  George Strait on the ACM awards.

Jack's favorite book this week has been a Star Wars book about Darth Vader and bedtime. We read this book at night before bed and this boy can't get enough of it- he'll even sit and read it to himself- he loves to point out his favorite parts of the story.

 

Harper has also been so funny lately. She is a little Momma in the making. She loves to make sure Jack is where he's supposed to be and doing what he's supposed to be doing. When she played outside with Daddy and Jack this morning, Tony said she would yell at Jack if he got too close to the street, or wandered into the neighbors yard. She has also adopted a new way of looking for her toys in which she walks through the house bellowing "George where are you?!?" Harper also has the best expressions and does a great "shocked" face. When I announced that I made something special for dessert, her little jaw dropped and her eyes sparkled and she put her hands up to her mouth- what a little drama queen and I love it! Harper has also become my best helper. She loves to put laundry in the washing machine, or move it from the washer to the dryer. She also likes to empty the dishwasher and she knows where all her plates and bowls go and will put her dishes and Jack's dishes away. But today was a first when she asked to help me dust- I jumped on her offer and here are some shots of Miss Harper hard at work. P.S. This girl also giggled and ran into her room when I told her that I had just vacuumed in there; when she saw her room she clapped for me and said "thank you, Mommy!" I told Tony if I get a standing ovation for cleaning her room, I may keep this up for the rest of her life- she's the best customer I've ever had. :)


This girl is also the queen of the small village she surrounds herself with in her bed. Here's a sweet picture of her taking a nap. Note the Curious George doll by her feet, Minnie Mouse, the Abby Ca-dabie doll hiding under her elbow, Katerina Kitty Cat by her head and her bunny "lovie" under Minnie Mouse...there's also a rabbit hopping around the other end of the crib...and heaven forbid if we try to take anything out of there! This sweet girl makes us smile until our cheeks hurt.

The highlights of our lazy weekend all seemed to revolve around food. We stopped by the mall to eat lunch on Saturday and the kids got to sit in the big chairs all by themselves. Check out the look on Harper- if that isn't a look that she'll give us when she's 14, I don't know what is. 


We also went out for pancakes this morning and Harper showed off her writing skills. This girl holds a crayon the right way- I can't wait to see what she writes one day. 
 

Jack was my breakfast buddy and we had fun making silly faces and eating syrup on our pancakes.


On the way out, the kids had to stop and dance to the music on the speaker- they remind Tony and I everyday to slow down and take the time to dance.


Sunday, April 12, 2015

Blessed

My beautiful babies are getting bigger by the minute- as I type this, they are "sleeping" (giggling and talking back and forth to each other before drifting off to dreamland). I know that these moments are fleeting and the two year old phase holds many frustrations, but it is also so enjoyable and brings us so much joy that I am eternally grateful to bear witness to these two beautiful, loving toddlers growing into witty, compassionate children.

We had a very busy weekend playing, attending two parties, shopping, going outside, and enjoying each other's company. The kids have been busy at home trying out future professions: Jack has been working on the front door and various other things around the house- he insists on wearing his tool belt. If his handyman projects don't work out, he's also been training for the Masters.


Harper is still enamored with her Doc McStuffins doctor's kit and she enjoys giving regular checkups to her daddy, her brother, me, and all her stuffed animals.










We also played with the Little People and Jack and I had a mini dance party- he cracked me up because he pulled out my old Zeta lapboard and used it as a dance floor (something we did with the kids when they first learned to walk, but we haven't done in a long time). The little ones also got me some flowers this week- the first flowers that they've ever picked for me (thank you, Durinda) and we got to curl up on the couch and watch some tv together on Friday afternoon to start off the weekend. These are the simple things, the little things, that I know I'll forget one day, but I long to press these images into my heart to carry with me forever. This was a great way to start the weekend.


Saturday morning the Colletts trekked up to the gym for their grand opening of the new space. We are so lucky to have such a great group of people to suffer through workouts with and to call our friends. The grand opening consisted of a workout and music, a bounce house obstacle course for the kids, and good food for everyone. The kids enjoyed the bounce house the most (no pictures of this because Tony and I had to climb into the bounce house with the kids to help them with the obstacles). I did manage to get a few pictures of these cuties enjoying their time outside- we couldn't have asked for better weather.



Saturday afternoon Harper got a package in the mail from Aunt Becky that contained some new shoes- kind of like Jellys- that Harper loved immediately. She insisted on wearing them right out of the box, wore them to dinner, and to play outside- Tony had to talk her into taking them off to go to bed. Thank you, Aunt Becky, for the new shoes!


Sunday we went out to eat pancakes (yum), ran some errands- the kids even got to walk around the grocery store a little bit. They are so funny at the store suggesting things we should buy, and saying "hello" to all sorts of people. I'm glad they're good little shoppers.

After the store, we came home and played and took baths and got ready to go to our friend Ava's first birthday party. I was a little worried the kids might act up because they skipped their nap, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well they behaved. They were polite and funny and got along well with the other kids there, most of whom were older. We had two small meltdowns 1- when the dog came up and took Jack's bread that he was eating, to which Jack replied "bad doggy!" 2- when we told Jack that it was time to leave- he wanted to stay and play outside. Tony and I were commenting on how well behaved the kids were as we were driving home and Tony turned around to find these two tired ones in the back. Harper slept for about thirty minutes and Jack read until he conked out too. Parties make us sleepy.

We ended the weekend with fun at home. The kids got to play outside a little while longer- I see lots of outside time in our future this summer- we ate pizza for dinner and Jack and Harper recounted all the things they'd done this weekend. It's so funny to hear them talk about events and it's interesting to see what they remember. As we got ready for bed, the kids played with Tony and I couldn't help but smile. We are truly blessed; the meltdowns and whining and frustrations are all worth it and then some. We are truly blessed.