Spencer Update

I have recently been looking around for a fun class to start Spencer in. I wanted him to do Karate but he's not quite old enough yet. I think I am going to sign him up for t-ball or soccer. I'm not sure what he would think about either class, so I may try them both out for a day to see. He primarily uses his left hand so he may very well be the left handed pitcher I've always said he would be!!!

Like most boys his age, he loves playing with cars. If his cars aren't fast enough when he races them he tells me to throw them away; what a silly guy. I parked our car next to a red convertible corvette the other day and Spencer walked right over to look at it... just as Erik would do. I said "You like that car don't you". He said "Yep... drive it".

He's such a sweetheart to his big sister. Emmy will ask him to go pick up a toy for her and he'll do it, even if he's across the room involved in another activity. But he also knows just how to push her buttons at times. After all, that's what little brothers are really for!

He's very persistent which is for the most part a great quality to have. However, it does put him in "time out" quite a bit. He's just at that age now I guess.

He's a really funny little guy and he likes to make us laugh. Emmy always wants him to dance with her but his version of dancing just isn't quite the same. He likes to dance crazy and then throw himself down on the floor and roll around... it's so funny.

We are going to start potty training soon. Hopefully it goes well and he is trained in one day... in my dreams! He's showing all the signs that he's ready, so we went out and bought him his big guy underwear the other day. I let him pick them out which he thought was cool.

He's a smart little guy and is doing all the things a 2 yr. old should be doing at that age... and a few things he shouldn't : ) I'm really impressed with some of the things he knows and does. I'm not sure what he will be when he grows up but I just know it's going to be something really great.

I'll post more pictures soon!

Emily Update

Emmy has recently started a tap, ballet, and tumbling class which she absolutely loves. I have been wanting to start her in this class for a while now but decided to wait until she got bored at Gymboree. So last Thurs. was our last day at Gymboree and last Wed. was our first day at dance class. Emmy's dance teacher made a point to tell me as we were leaving that Emmy is an "excellent student". And several of the other mommy's there made comments to me on how well she was doing too. I am so impressed, but not surprised, on how well she follows instructions, and how focused and graceful she is. She really wants to go there to learn and not play around. Not that I would mind one bit if she did play around like some of the other little girls. It is SOOOO funny to watch some of the things they do. I really just wanted Emmy to have fun and meet some girls her age. Emmy really likes her teacher and so do I; she is so sweet and patient with all the kids. I will get pictures of Emmy all dressed up at her next class.

Emmy has really been enjoying riding her "big" bike, which I also need to get pictures of. Lately I have been getting on my bike to ride with her because she goes so fast that I can't keep up walking any more.

She has a few weird eating habits that totally gross Auntie Darcie out. But I really can't complain because both kids are pretty good eaters. Emmy likes to use pudding as a dip for chicken, and applesauce as a dip for chips. This morning she wanted some string cheese to put on her french toast sticks. I let her; it's gross but I keep my mouth shut about it. She has tried and likes chocolate covered espresso beans (I thought she would spit them out) and would drink coffee if I let her (not going to happen). She informed me the other day that when she's older she can have coffee... when she's 5. Funny girl.

Her coloring has really improved in the last few months. She really focuses now on staying in the lines. She has also started drawing people that actually look like people and can spell and write a few words. One day when we were coloring I asked to borrow the green crayon she was using, and she told me to be patient and wait my turn.

She is old enough now to understand when Erik and I are telling jokes or just being funny. She laughs with us and thinks we're silly.

She's starting to play with Barbies now and likes to dress them up and of course accessorize. I'm excited about that because I found some cool Barbie stuff I want to buy her for her birthday and Christmas. I can't believe she's going to be 4 yrs. old in a couple months.

I will do a "Spencer Update" in the next day or two!

Carnival pictures

San Antonio Trip (days 6 and 7)

Our last full day in SA we decided to take the kids bowling. This was Spencer's first time bowling; Emmy has been a few times already. As you can see in the picture above, she was cheering for herself after hitting several pins.

Emmy can now wear the lovely bowling shoes; Spencer will have to wait until his feet are a little bigger since the smallest size they have is a 9.

Spencer really wanted to do it all by himself, but we insisted on helping him carry the ball since he didn't have shoes on.

We also went to the park for a while. My kids love the swings and could swing all day if I let them.

We all decided to join them on the swings. I must admit I had fun too!

Emmy gets herself going so high now it makes me a little nervous.

Cutie Pie Emmy

Spencer found a small puddle of muddy water and rocks to play with; this made him so happy.

Big guy on the slide

Emmy's having a sip of water on the way down... it was pretty hot that day.

And on day 7 we flew back home. We had to get up at 4:30 a.m. so we were EXHAUSTED. The kids did great on both flights there and back; we got several compliments on how well-behaved they were. Although we had such a fun time on our trip, it is so nice to be home again (and have my king sized select comfort bed)!

P.S. Happy 32nd Birthday Auntie Darcie! Wow you're REALLY OLD!!! LUV YOU BUNCHES!

San Antonio Trip (days 4 and 5)

Day 4 of our trip we took our THREE kids (Emmy, Spencer, and Auntie Darcie) to Sea World. I guess we got lazy with our camera since I only found 3 pictures worthy enough to post. Emmy got to pet a dolphin and she told me that she wanted to go swimming with them. Maybe next time! The kids watched two shows (Shamu and the Sea Lion one). They were mesmerized to say the least. The kids had dinner served in a Shamu lunch box, which seemed to make the meal even more tasty because they ate really well.

Spencer loved this penguin guy. Emmy was a bit shy but wanted to play with him since Spencer was doing it.

My Sweeties!

Day 5 we went to Schlitterbahn and didn't even bust out the camera one time to take a single picture. It's hard to take pictures when you're at a water park. They did however have a great time there.

San Antonio Trip (day 3)

Here are a few pictures from when we went to the San Antonio Zoo.

Darcie- Do you like this pose or should I post one of your other poses? : )

Spencer really wanted to hold one of the butterflies and I was able to help him catch one after several attempts. He wanted to pet it so I had to hold his other hand back so it would live to see another day.

Here's Emmy watching Darcie hold a big butterfly. This was the kids favorite part of the whole zoo. We spent a lot of time in with the butterflies.

Here's Emmy posing as a butterfly...

...and Spencer too!

San Antonio Trip! (days one and two)

Our first day of the trip was spent flying and then getting settled into our TLF room. The second day we went with Auntie Darcie to the River Walk. We took the kids on a boat ride and then ate dinner at an Italian restaurant.

Check out Spencer's hair. That morning when we woke up Emmy told Spencer he looked like a porcupine!

Here is what I did for the kids sleeping arrangement. After pulling out the bed from one couch, I put the mattress from the roll-a-way on the other couch next to it so Spencer could sleep there by Emmy. It made one big California king size bed. I wasn't sure how the kids would do sleeping in the same room and practically the same bed, but they did great. It was funny to listen to their little conversations after we tucked them in at night. One conversation went like this.

Emmy: Bud, are you gassy?

Spencer: No.

Emmy: A little bit?

Spencer: Yes.

Dad: Shhhhh.

Emmy: Buddy, guess what? No talking!

(And everyone goes to sleep)