We Love Summer!

Man oh man...we have been LOVING summer!  Now that the boys are a little older summertime is so much more fun!  We try to get out of the house each morning and have been filling our days with trips to different parks, Everland, the fountains, museums, Sky Zone, the zoo and Tiny Towne. Sometimes I feel like a camp counselor with all of these outings, but I think the boys are really having a blast - and I enjoy being out and about with them as well!  They've been going to water day every Tuesday morning at school so I can tutor 2 kids and have a couple of hours to run errands. In the afternoons the boys take a nap, then wake up, eat a snack and hang around the house. The boys have really loved playing in their water table and riding their "cars" around the neighborhood in the late afternoon.

After a super stressful school year, I promised myself that this summer I would make a greater effort to be more present for Cade and Luke, to take better care of Todd and our home, and make time to relax a little myself.  So far, I think I'm doing a pretty good job!

We have about 4 weeks left of summer and we'll be sure to continue our fun in the sun!

You guys love to "water Daddy's flowers". :)

You both loved getting on all of the buses at the train museum!

Memorial Day in VA

Memorial Day happens to fall as the first weekend after school lets out for summer...and it's becoming a tradition for us to visit VA each year at this time.  It's a bit of a drive (about 7-8 hours) so I always worry a little about how the boys will handle it, but they did great both there and back (thanks to waaayy too many DVDs).  The boys loved playing at GJs house and really loved running around her huge porch and yard.  We went strawberry picking at the most beautiful orchard and had play time and a picnic at a park there.  GJ arranged for family photos to be taken and they came out great!  Todd and I even had time to sneak in a little lunch date...alone!  ;)  Cade and Luke loved being spoiled with ice cream on the porch after dinner and lots of books and laughs (courtesy of Cade's knock-knock jokes) at bedtime.  Thank you, GJ, for treating us to a wonderful getaway!

Cade's face in this picture pretty much sums up his behavior at the orchard...it didn't open until 12:30 and we were there at naptime...yikes!

Bye Bye Apple Tree Room

This year Cade was in the Apple Tree room at FDCA.  He loved his school, his teachers, and his classroom.  He learned A TON and overall he had a great experience.  His teachers were Ms. Sabrina and Ms. Tammy and his best buddies were Cameron, Ryan, and Rylan.  These pictures were taken on graduation/field day.

Three and a Half

C- Baby...
You are officially 3 1/2 years old!  You tell everyone that you meet that you're three and a half (and you also tell them that Lukey is 1 and a half) so I thought I would take a few minutes to document some things about you now that you're half way between 3 and 4!

• You weight about 35 pounds.
• You wear size 3T/4T clothing and size 10.5 shoe.
• You're a good sleeper.  You still take a 2-3 hour nap each day.  You usually go to bed around 8/8:30 and wake up between 7 and 7:30.  
• You're a great eater!  You (THANKFULLY) give us no trouble at all with regard to eating and eat every meal nearly every time without any complaints (I'm in awe of this because you're sweet baby brother is your total opposite in this arena).  Your favorite foods include fruit (you always eat your fruit first and the only fruit I have found that you don't like so much are apples), pasta, pizza, yogurt, PB&J, chips, chicken, and fish.  You will eat anything for an after dinner treat!  Your favorite restaurants are Chick-fil-a and Chipotle.  
• You still love to read!  You like all books, but you are more drawn toward nonfiction.  Currently you most enjoy reading about trucks, animals, and planets.  
• Your favorite TV shows are PAW Patrol, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, and Peppa Pig.  
• Over the past few months you've gotten really into super heroes.  I think Batman is your main guy, but you like all of them.  
• Your favorite toys are your Plasma car (you ride that thing like a champ!), toy trucks, little animals that you can "take care of", and matchbox cars.
• Your favorite sport is basketball.  You have a hoop in your play area that you like to play with.
• You have developed a very strong opinion about what you wear.  Your little style has taken a turn - gone are the polos and khaki shorts you used to wear religiously.  Your preferred get-up is all athletic wear.  Your favorite shirts have either a super hero or a sport on them.  One of our biggest battles has become the clothes you wear.  
• You continue to be very social and will easily talk to anyone and everyone around you.  You like to be with your friends and make them laugh.  It upsets you when your friends aren't being kind to you.  
• You wake up very smiley and happy each morning - ready to tackle the day.  For the most part, you are very obedient, helpful, loving, and cooperative.  However, there are times that you are easily frustrated and do not listen so well to our requests or demands to stop doing something you shouldn't be doing.  When you do get upset, you calm down very easily.  When you're upset you always say (through your screams and tears)..."Mommy I need a hug!".  
• Outside, you are quite active.  You like for Daddy to set up his orange cones and do "drills" with you (high knees, "bottom" kicks, etc.), ride your bike/Jeep/Plasma car, take walks, play in the water table.  You are very cautious when you're around the road and you don't love to get your clothes dirty.  
• You still sleep with Snuggle Bear and usually one other small little toy.  You also still like to bring a little toy truck or toy animal whenever we leave the house.  
• I know I'm a little partial, but I think you are one of the most handsome little boys I have ever seen.  You are smart, curious, kind-hearted (usually), happy, energetic, and in love with your mommy (you do NOT like when Daddy gets too close to me).  The other day at dinner you announced that Daddy could not sit with me because I was married to you.  :)  
• Our hearts are so full of love and adoration for you!

21 Months Old

Sweet Lukey Bear,
You are 21 months old!  You are full of energy, curiosity, and humor.  You are incredibly independent and still a little shy.  At home, you will play alone for long periods of time and very rarely asked to be picked up or held, but when we are out in public you can be a little clingy - especially around loud noises (like in public restrooms) and like to be held.  You have the sweetest smile and an adorable laugh.  You also have the most precious little voice, which we hear often at home - you talk A LOT!  Speaking of talking, you speak very, very well and we can hold a conversation with you most of the time...but you don't always listen and have definitely developed selective hearing!  :)  Here's a little more about you at 21 months:

• First off - here are your 18 month stats - you weighed 25.5 (32%tile), you were 33.75 inches tall (71%tile) and you HC was 19.75 (93%tile).
• At 21 months, you are quite a picky eater!  There are many meals when you don't eat anything at all.  Your favorite foods include waffles, apples, toast, muffins, chicken noodle soup, mac & cheese...ahh, can't really think of much else that you will regularly eat!  You have a serious sweet tooth and ask for "tweats" (treats) often and you LOVE, LOVE, LOVE milk!  You wake up asking for it and ask for it several times a day.  
• You sleep very well!  For naptime and bed time we read you a few books and then you ask to go night-night.  We put you in your crib and usually don't hear from you until it's time to get up.  You take one 2-2.5 hour nap a day.
• I'm convinced you will be a swimmer one day...you LOVE playing in water - any kind of water - bath water, puddles, sinks, water hoses, cups of water, the water table.  
• You speak very well - usually in full sentences.  You repeat everything you hear!
• You love to sing!  You sing to yourself in the car a lot.  Your favorites include Rain, Rain Go Away, ABCs, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Wheels on the Bus.  It's SOOO sweet!
• You know your basic colors and shapes, you can sing your ABCs, you can count to 10, you know most of your body parts, animals and their sounds.  You're one smart cookie!
• You are very funny and have a quick sense of humor.  For instance, the other day I was singing Muffin Man to you...you stopped me and said, "No Mommy...sing Donut Man" and then started singing the same song with Donut Man in place of Muffin Man...then you moved on the "Poopy Diaper Man".  Last night you, Cade, and Daddy were telling knock-knock jokes at dinner.  Daddy had told a knock knock joke about water melon (who's there..water, water who..watermelon).  Then you told the same joke..(who's there..water...water who...WATER TABLE).  You thought you were so funny and laughed and laughed.
• You LOVE your brother and copy his every move most of the time.  You are the quintessential little brother.  You love to snatch things from his hands and take off running and giggling while he yells angrily after you.  I laugh (in private, or course) every time!  
• You H-A-T-E getting your teeth brushed and give us the most ridiculous fight EVERY TIME! You currently have 16 teeth.  
• You love to run, climb, and jump and you are FEARLESS!  

We love you sooooooooooooo very much sweet Lukey!!