Who Is This Guy?

Both boys are morphing right before our very eyes. Andy hates to get his hair cut, so we wait until it is nearly blocking his vision before we drag him, kicking and screaming, to the salon. He looks so much like a little boy and so much less like a baby these days. He is obsessed with the disney channel show, Little Einsteins. He likes to carry the DVD case around and shove it in my face until I break down and play it for him. He dances and attempts to sing the song. So cute! Luke, meanwhile, has developed this intriguing habit of talking with his hands. I know it is 110% genetic, which makes it twice as funny. He waits very patiently for Steve to finish eating dinner so they can go outside and play. While he's waiting, he likes to mandate what will happen next. It gives him a sense of control, I suppose. Considering I spend the entire day telling him what to do, this is probably his few minutes of fame...when I'm too weary to resist. Anyway, he finished all of his mandates with a thumbs up and a sharp nod of the head. Steve looked at me with a puzzled expression and whispered, "who is this guy?"
I just smile and give him a thumbs up.

And Still More Birthday

I know this is getting a bit redundant, all this birthday stuff. However, we didn't get to do our family celebration. Luke turned 4 and cousin Amy will be 5 tomorrow. Amy and her family were on their spring break trip, so we postponed the family party to yesterday. Grandma, Papa and Grammie-Great were the hosts. The rain held off just long enough for all of the children to get outside. We are all battling some sort of illness, coughing and sneezing all over the place. However, we can always count on Steve to bring something fun to do. Who doesn't enjoy some bubble-blowing now and then? Once everyone was sufficiently worn out, we settled in to watch Alvin and the Chipmunks. After subway sandwiches, the birthday kids blew out their candles and collected some loot. I can't believe Amy is 5! Man, that went fast for me.

Rain, rain go away!

It continues to pour buckets around here. I'm so ready for spring. The real thing, not this pseudo-spring, rain-filled, frost on the window stuff we have right now. We are supposedly on spring break this week. That means we depart from our regularly scheduled activities and try to find ways to entertain ourselves indoors. Because, like I said, it won't stop raining. Luke managed to catch a cold, combined with a lovely fever that stops by every afternoon. Steve just got over that last weekend, so I suppose he passed it on. I have managed to stay healthy so far. However, a certain 4 year old continues to sneeze all over the place, so I am not optimistic. Andy, however, remains completely chipper and continues with his usual antics. He just cracks me up. He likes to wear sunglasses and pose for the camera. What a hoot!

Birthday, Part 2

We had the "official" birthday party at The Bouncy Place, the hottest spot in town for the six and under crowd. It's a warehouse full of inflatable bouncy toys and you can rent a small portion for your parties. The best part: a party room with all the supplies and clean-up is included! Wahoo! We packed some cupcakes, drinks and snacks for some after-bounce refueling. The biggest kid of all, Steve, had the most fun by far. Some of the kids were overwhelmed at first, but eventually turnef off the tears and had a great time. We are blessed with some great friends and playmates here. Andy wasn't quite so thrilled with the bouncy toys, so he hung out with me and posed for the camera.

Happy Birthday, Luke!

4 years ago today, in a land called Portland, Luke Robert arrived on the scene. I can't believe he's four. How did that happen? I was the helper in his preschool class today. His teacher was very sweet and acknowledged his birthday. She gave him a Hot Wheels car. He was thrilled. We ate chocolate pudding and all the children wanted to save their spoons. It's funny what makes a 4 year old's world go around. A plastic spoon shaped like an animal does it every time. Happy birthday, buddy!