More fun than a box of toddlers.

Ethan's birthday is Saturday. Yesterday I came home from errands with the boys and guess what was on the front porch? A fun car. It was a pain to put together, but when it was done they loved it. Even better? The BOX of course!
They tunnel through it.
It makes Ethan smile.
Stephen on the car
Ethan pushed Stephen out of the box and sat on it. That thing in his hand is a paint brush of mine they keep stealing.
Stephen INSISTED I take this photo of his feet. "Mommy picture feet?"

More tunneling.
"Make a face for Mommy" always results in this same face.
You know, tunneling again.
Little guy getting in on the action.
Earlier today I tried to teach Ethan how to color. He didn't "get" it...

Also was it my Dad or my friend Pat who made the chocolate poop comment? EWWWW. We didn't get to go to the chocolate factory either.

Random

Don't know what to say. I'll tell this story.

Stephen has issues with the word "Yes"

It's had a progression for us

"Sure" (Always said super happy)

"Ass" (mispronounciation of YES)

"uh huh" (my least favorite)

"O Kay!" (super happy again)

Also he has issues with M sounds. He does say Mommy (MomEEEE) now but for ages it was Bockie. And milk

is "Bilk" and more is "Burr"

The number one thing I hear is "Caliou" which is the name of this cartoon he likes with a bald headed kid. It's pretty cute.

Ethan says "uh ohh" a bunch now, he did say "Stop That" today but it was a one time thing, (I had to say it a FEW times this morning, he wants to pull over the diaper pail all the time) he says "daddaddaddad" and "mom" but he growls "mom" it's funny! He has taken just a few steps and stands all the time.

Least favorite thing to hear is "Ewwww Pee" Which means "Ewww I pooped and took my diaper off because I'm a freak and won't just tell mommy to change me or better yet to let me go on the potty and now I'm standing in my poop and it's all over"

We might be touring a chocolate factory with playgroup tomorrow. I'm waiting for a call with details.

Happy Birthday to me!

Well we are back from our weekend in Charleston. It was fun but crazy too. We went up on Saturday. We drove right into the cute little downtown historic part and parked. It happened to be a little "Charleston Dog Show" down there so everyone had dogs. How fun! We got food at the Farmers Market and it was fresh and wonderful. I had an omlet with fresh eggs. Yummy! Brian got a gyro thing. Stephen ate off our food and had tons of these fresh strawberries we got. Ethan ate baby food jars and some of everything else.

Then we walked after a while we arrived at a cute little shop called "cupcake". They sell nothing but cupcakes and they were GOOD. We ate 4 between the 4 of us.

We drove to Brian's friend Bill's house. He and his wonderful wife Jeanie (sp?) were kind enough to let us stay in their home while we were there. They have a dog Javy too. He's a cute fat beagle looking dog. The boys loved him.

We ate dinner that night and bought drugs (I needed some drugs I had upset tummy, I ALWAYS have upset tummy in Charleston, you may remember last time I went I came home and had to go to the hospital).

Sunday we went to Magnolia Plantation. WOW that's the most beautiful place ever. That's where all the pics I'm putting are from, I kept forgetting the camera until that day. They have a petting zoo with deer in it! I'd never pet a deer. And gardens for miles and a hedge maze and peacocks running all over. It was great. Oh and I've never in my life smelled a magnolia blossom and I love them! I will have to see if that mall store what's it called, Bath and Works or whatever has magnolia sented crap.

Then back to the house for naptime. The boys were so tired they went staight to sleep. Oh on the issue of sleep it stunk! Stephen had to sleep with us and that's a mess. Ethan slept in the pack and play but I don't think it's too comfy. We all came home tired. We do not plan to take any more trips for at least a year, it was just not relaxing at all in that way. We will just do all the day trips you can possibly do from here.

We ate dinner Saturday at this fantastic resturant that Bill chose. It was so yummy. It was seafood. Then we went to the park by his house and to bed. Oh I saw Saturday Night Live, which I've never watched before, it's cute! (This was a show of old epsiodes)

Monday we got up early (Thanks Ethan) and went to breakfast because you can't drive from Bill's house into Charleston at rush hour. At breakfast at the lovely McDonalds Stephen fell and chipped a tooth and cut his lip. Sometime during the day he also got a black eye and Ethan got a knot on his forehead. We really are good parents, I swear my kids just are determined to get banged up. It's sad really. They are both fine though. (I'm going to see if a dentist wants to sand the tooth down so it's not sharp and goofy looking I'll keep you posted)

It was cold Monday so we went to the Aquarium instead of walking downtown like we planned. The Aquarium was awesome, as they always are. Ethan had "Fish Joy" for the first time. Fish Joy is when you see fish in a huge tank and it's like magic and you can't take your eyes away. He had Penguin Joy as a young baby (they are high contrast ya know) but this was his frist Fish Joy. Nothing like seeing your children discover the wonderful creations of Heavenly Father.

After we got out of the Aquarium it was warmer so we walked downtown. We went to this other market but it was really just a touristie flee market. Then more food at this Crab resturant. It was pretty good. When Brian went to pay he found he had left his card in an ATM earlier that day. He left me to pay while he ran back to see if it was still there. Right when he leaves the kids start screaming. Our waiter doesn't come back to take my money for like 15 minutes and they are both shreaking but I can't take them out because I have to pay and it got so bad that when I finally did leave the section cheered! Of course they had stopped crying when they saw we were leaving but when people cheered Stephen was hurt and cried all over again! I told him they were cheering because they love him and shot them all dirty looks and almost cried because it was all too much and also I was wondering where my husband was and if my credit card was stolen and all. Brian got back right when I walked out the door. The machine automaticly sucks them back up if you don't take them within a short period of time and demagnatizes them. The employees saw it and tried to catch it so they could just return it but were not fast enough. We have new cards ordered and they will be here in a week! No debit card till then. OUCH!

So we drove home. I drove actually Brian has a cold. Traffic wasn't too bad. I slept like a ROCK last night. :)

I had 23 packages/cards waiting for me when I got home. Happy Birthday to me! I have awesome friends and family.

Today Marcia took me out to lunch. I love May!

Catching up.. it's a long one.

We will start with today! I am sick I have mastitis (everyone cept my daddy go google that if you don't know, Dad, you don't want to know). So fever and pain and all. Well Brian took the day off to watch the boys. We called the Dr and she called in drugs for me. (they work SUPER fast, I'm way better already) So he got those and stuff during naptime. After naptime we decided to go in the pool for a bit and here are the pics:
Stephen is a huge pool wimp still and just wanted to play on the patio and put his feet in! WIMP!
This was his favorite, to throw something like a ball in then go, "Uh Oh! MOMMY!!" like it's my job to retrieve these things. (yea, he says Mommy now, and it's music to my ears, he says all sorts of things, everyone should come visit.)
Look at that happy boy.
Ethan was less of a wimp. he would ride on this aligator with Daddy, then later in his own float.

Two weekends ago we went up to Tallahassee. We planned to eat at a lunch spot I loved, then go to the "spring game" which is a warmup type game for FSU football. (GO NOLES) Then to Dan's apartment for naptime and to the FSU Flying High Circus.

Things did not go as planned.

The lunch spot was a totally different resturant. We did have a pretty good lunch at a different place.

Dan wasn't home! Then he did show up right before we left in total confusion. We couldn't park at his place as planned but we were ok.

The game was fine, we had to leave early because the boys were tired.

Then they didn't want to nap at Uncle Dan's.

The dinner spot was closed too!

Then we leave to walk to the circus, this is where it gets REALLY bad. It was sprinkling. Now we had to park on campus so there is no car even if we did decide not to walk. (Dan has one but no carseats...)

So we start to walk, it starts to pour. And pour. And pour. We get there finally, totally and completely drenched. I was holding Ethan, Brian holding Stephen. I lucked out, Ethan thought it was funny, Stephen cried. They were sooo wet. Like we had all been swimming in clothes. We had a sweatshirt for Stephen and put it on him, and I bought a T shirt for me and put it on Ethan. After the show we walked back to the cars and got home well after 1am. The boys both had fevers in the morning. :(

Here's pics:

Stephen enjoying the spring game
Dan.. um.. enjoying? being an uncle.
Mommy and Ethan (see the huge shirt on him) waving at the clowns.

And this is another day and what happens if you tickle Ethan a bunch:

Ok, that's pretty much everything. Hope to see you all soon!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEPHEN

Here are pics of Stephen and Ethan opening Stpehen's Birthday Presents! He got a book from Brian and I and a car and a cool tablet thing from my mom. He loves them all. The tablet is probably his favorite thing ever. You draw on it and it's sorta like an etch-a-sketch only it has Elmo and CookieMonster on it. He actually slept with it for bedtime and naptime. He's a nut! The car is cool it drives itself and knows when it hits a wall to back up. Ethan thinks it's magic I think and he loves it soooo much. Stephen likes it bunches too but really Ethan loves it best. They have all their stuff together anyhow so that's fine.

Well some other stuff happened but it wasn't cool so I'll leave that out! Everyone have a great day. Oh here's pics:

Happy Easter!

We had an eventful weekend. Friday night I went to a crop and made cards and generally hung out. Brian had the boys and they had dinner and went to do some shopping.

Saturday we got up and went to an Easter Egg hunt. It was very fun, but cold so Brian had to run home and get a sweatshirt for Stephen and socks for Ethan. Stephen found 5 eggs at the hunt and loved them. Brian helped Ethan find one egg. There was a bunny (person in costume) to see and it was all very cute. The had the little kids hunt in a different area than the big kids which I think was a great way to do it.

After that we went to this HUGE art store I never knew was in town and it was very cool. I didn't buy anything but man I could have! Then to Hobby Lobby where these new markers I love were. I found piles of them on clearance for less than half what I would otherwise have to pay. So OF COURSE I had to get 11 of them! *wink* (if you happen to be on this blog and super interested in markers I have a big write up on my Erin K Creations blog).

When we got home we put the kids to their naps and Brian went outside. I was going to organize my new markers, when he came in with Charlotte in his arms. She had been bitten. It was terrible, puss oozing wound, not even bleeding, just stinky puss. I've never seen anything like that. So we got the kids back up and took her to the Emergency Vet down the road and she had to have a shunt put in and stitches and shaved. It's all very gross. I have to take her back TWO MORE TIMES to get the shunt and stitches out. It's all very expensive and depressing. She does not seem to be in pain which boggles my mind but I'm glad. She's sleeping in the laundry room for now, that shunt means she's just dripping bloody eww stuff everywhere so she's not allowed in the rest of the house.

Today I woke up feeling really stinky. Brian took Stephen to church and me and Ethan napped all afternoon. I still feel yucky but will be ok.

I hope you all had nice Easters and that you feel the love of our Savior all throught the year and especially today.

Silly Spring

OK, first of all what is the name of that flower? I want more, it just comes up magicly each year we don't take care of it or anything and Brian is pretty sure he's mowed it a few times. And just look at that flower! I love it. Stephen does too and decided to get in on the photos.

Kitty is still around too. Here he is looking majestic by the pool, that is the prettiest cat I've ever seen.

Ok, more later, keep checking back.

More fun!

Don't they look like they are having a great time in the tub! I can't wait till it's hot enough to play in the pool. And you wouldn't believe me if I told you how wet this left the bathroom.

Then there's this... Food stashing. What you see here are parts of Stephen's lunch from today. It's a little bread, you never know when you will need a bite to eat! I'm forever having to check this and other toys that have little stash holes for food and candy, there was some milk in here today too, ewwwww.

You'll never guess... right now, today everyone is healthy! I'm so glad.

Boys are in a napping funk this week though, they don't wanna take them. Errrrr.

Well that's all for now folks.

Trip to the Park

Today we went to the park. Brian took today as a floating holiday so it was fun to go play. I put a ton of pics up on the Picturetrail site today from our trip. Ethan swings now so that's fun for him, he also was starting to want to climb on the big slide thingie. Stephen is all over the park now.

After the park we went to the Chinese Buffet where Stephen gets sushi, He ate 16 pieces of sushi today! That's a record for him, last time he had 15. He LOVES the stuff. Ethan ate two jars of baby food and three french fries. (which are on the buffet, although they are not Chinese)

Next stop was Marshalls, I need clothes, but all the styles are crappy right now I just got angry after trying on a million tops and none were cute. Then I decided to get shoes but that didn't work out either. Ended getting Stephen a Magic Jersey and leaving there. Nothing cool in Tuesday Morning either.

So I was pretty bummed when I got home but guess what 4 PACKAGES! Two were for Brian so that was nice for him, but 2 were for me! Hurray me!

Well the boys are sleeping, I might either lay down with a book or stamp things. :)

Cloth diaper Update

So here is Ethan in his sleepykat cloth diaper! I have tons of cloth diapers now and it's great. My friend Annette sent me three of these, and I have 16 from the other company I was using. I do still love the others, but I'm gonna talk about these for a moment.

Ok, look there is a cat on his bum! How cute is that?? The other two she sent are just like this but blue with a white (I think) cat on the rear. They are made super well and fit the boys, especially Stephen great. Stephen is sleeping right now and if you think I'm waking him up to take a picture of his diaper you are out of your mind.

Overall I'm loving the cloth diapers. I only use the disposables now over night and if we go out for more than like one stop. If you don't change the cloth ones shortly after a pee they will eventually leak. It's sorta distressing to think of how long I let them be in peeful disposables, but they never FEEL wet. I'm hoping that because Stephen really feels it now when he's wet that will help him want to potty train. He now insists on being changed the very second he pees. As soon as I can get him to tell me BEFORE he pees we will be in business. :)

Hmm, what else is going on. I'm not sure what was up with Stephen's eye but it got better in like two days, but I still did the drops the whole time I was supposed to. No one else got pink eye or anything. Maybe it was some lesser eye infection.

Ethan has been snotty for weeks now. I think I'm giving him till Monday then taking him back in to the DR's and demanding something to clear him up. It's getting out of hand if you ask me. He is acting fine though.

I took the Grape (the car Brian's Gram gave us) into the AC repair place and I have AC now! It might not last, they think there is a leak, they put some special coolant with die in it and if I loose cold air they will be able to tell where the leak is and fix it. But anyhow for right now the AC works and just in time too because it's been hot here lately.

I think that's all the news.

Huggeronies.

Pink Eye

Yesterday when Stephen woke up from his nap he had one puffy eye and was crying a ton and rubbing it. Within a few hours he had two red puffy eyes. This morning we went to urgent care. After a few hours and scarry drops in his eyes and stuff the Dr. decided he has pink eye. We have to put these drops in 3 times a day, guess how much they cost? $56!!! YIKES. Shocking! He does seem to be in less pain already.

So far Ethan seems fine, but we all know he will probably end up with pink eye too and there goes another $56 I guess! I'm trying not to let it happen, but they are best buds and unless me and Ethan go get a hotel room I don't see avoiding it. Ethan did have a fever though. All the sudden he was 100.8. Not too bad. We gave him some motrin and he threw up. It was CRAZY throwing up, like shot several feet. Maybe he just gagged we are not sure. We are gonna stick to tylenol for the rest of the night, he's had motrin before but just to be safe you know? He's acting just fine now, chasing his brother around and laughing.

My dad called me and said he is having issues with this blog. I'm looking into it but so far cannot find a reason he wouldn't be able to open it. Any suggestions? He can see like a screen preview but can't scroll or leave a comment or anything. We can't have that!

Why aren't you people leaving comments?

Each one of you should be leaving comments on how cute these boys are. Why are you not doing it? I know you look, I can tell! *wink*


also I updated the Erin K Creations Link, I had the address wrong and it took you so some other junk that's not me. It now takes you to my craft blog. :)

General News

These pictures are just the general mess my boys are always working on. They are diggingin the bottom drawer of the computer desk. At least they are doing it together right?

So big news around here: I moved Stephen's bed into Ethan's room and everything else out so they both sleep in the same room and have a play room. I LOVE it during the day, I can keep things clean better and there are way less toys all over my house. They are going to bed ok, but waking up super early. It's only the second day so who knows. Word on the street is it takes a few days or a week to adjust to sleeping with another person in the room. I was at the end of my rope earlier, but they finally took a nap for 3 hours together in there. When I got them out Stephen had crawled under Ethan's crib and was sleeping there. I have no idea why he would do such a thing. Whatever makes him happy though.

My other big news is we are switching to cloth diapers! At least part time. Those of you who are familiar with them, but from 20 years ago, they are totally different now. No pins, no plastic pants. I have a kind called pocket diapers, Basicly there is a shell that is waterproof on the outside and fuzzy material on the inside. You stuff extra absorbant stuff between these two layers. The stuff I have is a hemp/cotton blend that is actually super soft but super absorbant. I tried them on Stephen but he hated it, so I'm only using them on Ethan right now. I also only have 3, so I'm obviously using a lot of disposables too. We didn't want to buy tons before we knew if we could handle it. (Yes, I mean if I could handle it, Brian doesn't really mess with them) So I LOVE them. I gotta get more. :)

Well it's probably time to go stuff all my stationary back in the drawer. Is nothing safe? NOPE! heehee