Movie night and tea time

Movie night hasn’t happened in a while at our house, so we broke it out again on Saturday night.  There aren’t really any movies, and the kids don’t really sit still, but there is a special snack that daddy makes, and they love it. 

Let me say, I was not on my A-game with pictures this weekend, I am saving my energy for our trip next week:)

Reese wanted to help put the show on, but after a few minutes of watching, was more content to push an empty stroller around the house.

I love how they all strategically covered their faces when I tried to take a picture:)

BTW – this is a Jeff expression:)

Going along with the rest of our lazy weekend (minus a birthday for Grandma, of which I failed and took no pictures, but Happy Birthday Grandma Chris!)

We hung out at the house and played!  Reese discovered tea time and Ella wanted to play teacher or mommy the whole weekend.  She kept telling me she had to go to work, then go to school and pick up her kids (yes, she said kids, not babies)  She also kept asking Austin to play doctor (must have been from the dentist appt earlier in the week)  Reese got two new boo-boos last week, as you can see on her head.  But, if you ask her how they are she still points to her now healed finger.

   

I love how both babies are missing their pants.  They both are named Reesie, and Ella refuses to let me put them back on.  Baby Reese on the left was meant to replace baby Reese on the right after she came out with a matted afro from the wash and dry cycle I gave her.  But, I guess she will stick around a while longer.

Reese takes my shoes

Jeff hates, that I constantly take his flip flops to wear in the kitchen, outside, whatever.  Yes, I could leave my own out and use them, but like most things in life, it is always better when it is someone else’s.

I got a dose of my own medicine with Reese.  I forgot after I took this that she had them on, she headed outside, and I was left shoe-less.  To which Jeff said (with a smile on his face), “see, it’s really annoying isn’t it”

Reese ventures the slide

After cleaning up the dinner dishes, I came out to find this little adventure. 

Jeff thought she needed to learn how to climb up on her own.  At 16months, I disagreed, but went along with it.

 

No da da, I am good, don’t need help.

Reese, “feet first, feet first, FEET FIRST!”

Yeah, she didn’t listen.  Then went back for more with big sister, and refused any help. 

“I want to be a mommy”

She begs every time we go to the grocery store to have her own shopping cart.  Jeff had let her the time before, so I gave in this time.  She was so pleased with herself, and yes, she did keep the shades on the whole time.

When we were going out to the car, she said she had shopped just like a mommy, and she wanted to be a mommy.  I told her that was great, but please, not for a VERY long time!

Ella’s 1st Dentist appointment

She seems to have no fear, so I thought this would be a piece of cake.  Surprisingly, it took her a little while to warm to the whole dentist experience.  I had taken Austin when he was about the same age, with tiny baby Ella in tow, and he did great,  completely unfazed. 

Austin was a great big brother, went first for the x-rays, cleaning, etc. and after some serious prodding and bribing with a princess toothbrush, Ella got into.

I did feel like “that mom” with my two kids batting at the dangling monkey, jumping from the chair, and not using their inside voice, while the demure mom with her two “perfect” kids sat next to us.  I was a broken record, asking them to sit down, “please use kind words,” and muttering under my breath, “dear god, please let us be done soon!” But, we had been there for an hour, and I can’t blame them too much, I was over it as well.

But, I grabbed the “yes we did it” shot and we were on our way. 

     

Can’t wait to see what taking three kids to the dentist is like:)

Fenway Park in our Backyard

Ok, maybe we are missing the Green Monster, but we do now have bases and bats.  Princess bat for Ella of course:)

Every night after dinner, the kids are ready for a game of baseball and kickball, so Jeff got serious and brought home some gear.

Austin has to be careful to not actually hit too hard, otherwise we lose the balls to our neighbors. Ella played not only in heels, but with her baby playing 2nd base. But, with a little sister, your stuff is never safe and Reese swooped in as soon as she could.

Reese also learned a new word today, “Boo Boo.”  

She just kept repeating it, “boo boo, boo boo”  A little daddy love and band-aid and all was well in the world.

We are getting very excited for our upcoming vacation to Hilton Head.  Tonight, as I was putting Ella to bed.   After stories, and a tender, un-prompted “i love you mommy,” we started talking about going on an airplane.

But first, I must say, there is nothing sweeter than having  a moment to just sit with your child, one on one, with no distractions, get to snuggle them, look then in the eye, and hear what is going on in their mind.  Icing on the cake is for them to tell you how much they love you and then wrap their arms around your neck so tightly and not want to let go.  I put this down, in hopes that I am able to remember the sweet feeling years from now when she won’t fit in my lap anymore.

Ok so, back to our conversation.  As I tucked her in, Ella asked who was going to drive the airplane.  I told her and she said, “but mommy, I don’t like pirates!”  Guess I need to work on my annunciation:)

Another side note, Austin has perfected the art of Arm Pit Farts.  His two sisters are trying to be just like him and you can sometimes catch Reesie trying to do her own.  Will post it if I can capture the glory of a 6 year old Arm Pit Champion.

New Lens!

The fourth of July left some of our family with a gift, the stomach bug.  Jeff took the brunt of it, and Austin and Ella had to come home Tuesday as well.  Luckily, after a few moments of snuggles and quiet time they were back to their old selves.

The next day brought me an awaited gift of my own, my new lens.  After blazing recommendations from friends, I got the EF 50mm f/1.8.  I hope to have it fully figured out by the time we get to Hilton Head, but I think I am going to have a lot of fun playing with it, as long as I don’t drive the kids crazy.  (As you can see by Ella’s cup in front of her face, I have to take what I can get)

This Reesie shot was on my old lens, but too cute not to throw in.

Thanks to my dad, Grandma Jeanne, Megan Brown, and Megan Perkins for teaching me so much and letting me always pick their brain.  I plan to keep bugging you:)

4th of July 2011

I was feeling restless, we have our Hilton Head trip coming up in a few weeks, but I wanted to get out of town, have an adventure.  I know, this seems a little crazy with our brood, but I was feeling energized and up for the challenge.  God must have heard me, because Thursday morning, Jeff’s mom suggested we go to Houston for the weekend and see the Red Sox play the Astros.  And so, we were off!

Our first road trip as a family of five, and if you are driving to Houston, you must stop at Buc-ee’s.  Austin, who had never even been there before, asked if he could get a beaver tee shirt as we were pulling in.

It was so crowded, you could barely move.  Nobody else seemed to think it was that bad, but I think it was chasing the toddler who wanted to explore everything that exaggerated the craziness of it. 
But, snacks and slurpies later, we were ready to continue our journey.We timed it out, thinking Reese would nap in the car.  Of course, we were WRONG!

We made it to Houston and went directly to the Children’s Museum.  I liken it to Chuck E Cheese’s on crack, but the kids had a blast.

 She found the dog immediately.  Yesterday though, Gilbert (the cat came on Caillou)  and she said “meow”  I was impressed she distinguished the two.  (I know, how boring and mommish can I get:)

The car was red, and I had to literally drag her away from it, to the next room so other kids could have a turn.

Then we headed back to the hotel, the first one besides the Great Wolf Lodge that we had all stayed in.  We met up with Jeff’s sister, husband, mom, and friend at the hotel.  The biggest hit was of course the hotel pool, and surprisingly, the phone in the room.  The kids couldn’t stop playing with it.  Reese kept picking it up and saying “hello.”  We only have cell phones at home, so I guess they thought it was a novelty.

Reese and Austin slept perfectly, Ella- not so much.  Poor Jeff took the brunt of it, and was wiped out by the morning. Austin declared it, the best hotel in the whole world!

Off to the game.  Thank god for Grandma Chris, who pushed an angry Reese in her stroller for an hour so she could nap.  But, she woke up happy, and it was a great game!  Nachos, snow cones, cotton candy, YUM!

Reese had just woken up, not sure what to make of all of this.

     Austin watching his favorite player!

 

Big thanks to Jeff’s family for the trip, and for all the help with the kids.  We had a blast!