Last week of February 2016

I got a ton of new kids books through USBORNE Books thanks to an online party I hosted.  I'm super excited!  (I'm so glad my kids like books!)

Max at swim lessons.  They weren't able to use one edge of the pool so he had to hold onto one of the teachers like a monkey because he can't touch the bottom of the pool

Max and the other kids in his class, some were 2 heads taller! (He's wearing blue and right in the middle in front of the kid in a green shirt.)

He wanted to get some seaweed strips at the grocery store so I let him (He didn't really understand what he was getting) but kuddos to him because he actually ate it and liked it!

Skyping with Grandpa and Nana.  Max wrote them a note.

Silly boy ready for bed.  He's been putting one of his blankets on top of his pillow.   He really likes soft textures for his blankets and pajamas.

Rocking his BYU shirt

Emmalyn was NOT happy that I put this dress on her.  I asked her to wear it long enough for me to get a picture.  She never wore the dress again.  I don't really understand why she didn't like it.

One night this week, Emmalyn tossed and cried for hours. Finally I figured out her mouth was hurting her, she must be teething her 2nd year molars! So I put some lavender on and gave her Tylenol.  Poor girl.

Maxwell's Kindermusik class and their instruments.  Daddy helped him make one that sounded sort of like a duck quacking.  It was a cup, a string, and a wet napkin.  It was pretty cool.

Max had a friend birthday party at a bounce house place and he was all about it and had a great time climbing up some BIG houses.  (He's kid on the left)

Although he liked the bounce houses, he was constantly drawn to the video games and I had to keep pulling him away.

We played air hockey.  It's sure fun to hang out with this kid (and so weird that he's grown up enough to do things like this with him!)

Emmalyn wanted to ride bikes with the big kids but the scooter is the only one she can ride.

My cousin Brandy was in town so we all went downtown to have breakfast and hang out with her.  It was soooooo fantastic to get to spend time with her.  It's been a long time!

Peter swapped with me so I could actually be in a picture

We walked to Klyde Warren Park (a cool urban space over the freeway in downtown Dallas) and the kids played in the kids area

Emmalyn wanted to sit and listen to story time

Such a monkey with no fear

They loved it when dad spun them around

We tried a bahn mi sandwich from a food truck.  It was good.

Enjoying some Doritos (so messy!)

More houses going up on the street behind our house.  I miss our great wide-open view when none of these were here... :(  The progress on the house behind us is going so slowly! (which stinks because of the endless construction noise but also good because I want to delay having a neighbor back there as long as possible)

Dressing for spring in hopes that it comes faster!

Even though it's not yet spring and the grass is brown, the weather is warm enough to play outside in with shorts and t-shirts when the sun is shining brightly.

3rd week of February - Max is 4 1/2 years old

Maxwell is excited to now say he's "4 1/2" instead of just "4"

He read his first book with Chapters.  He was very excited and did a great job.

Showing off the book

She's all about the accessories

Do you see those curls?!

It's not always smiles and giggles

 Not sure if she's ready to potty train but this is a start.  We just had her sit on it.

Stickers are always fun to play with

Uh oh - ripped tights.  That's the life of a girl, eh?

My cuties holding hands on the way into swim lessons

Maxwell showing me the skills he's working on in this level

Britt took the kids to the library for some fun

REACH for that doorbell

We are trying to teach Maxwell a knock-knock joke

My favorite day of winter - - when I see the first buds of spring!!

Playing at the park in a t-shirt and shorts.  I love that we have such mild winters!

The longer her hair gets the curlier it gets

Carlson cousin-in-law Brandon stayed at our house while he was in town.  Maxwell loved talking to him.

More of those sweet curls

playing with tops in Kindermusik

Maxwell's last day of soccer class

Video - Maxwell's last day of soccer dance.  Think he's excited?

Getting directions from Coach T

He works HARD during class - look how sweaty he is!

Getting his medal

It may not have always been his favorite thing to do but he sure improved over the course of the class.  When I look at the videos from the first day to today, there's a lot of improvement.  I would force him to keep going if I liked the Coach better and liked how he handled the kids.  Oh well, onto the next thing.  Max really wants to be able to play on a team again and be able to play a real game instead of just do drills.

I wasn't at home but Peter got Emmalyn to go pee in the potty for real!!!

Playing games with dad

Maxwell had a birthday party at chuck e cheese for a kid in his class.  He really loved it this time and was able to do more games.

Big ole Update on the kiddos...

Maxwell at 4 1/2:
Loves math - we are working on "carrying the one" but as long as that isn't necessary for the problem, he likes doing multi-digit addition and asks us math problems all the time.
Loves writing notes and drawing pictures for mom and dad.
Writing words more frequently - sometimes he spells them on his own and sometimes asks how to spell them.
He's having fun with the weather warming up and playing soccer in the backyard.
It seems like he is starting to be a little nicer to his sister.
Has started asking to get his cereal and milk in a bowl some mornings.
He is such a boy - - words like "fart" and "bottom" are very commonly coming out of his mouth.
He thinks it's hilarious to use nonsense words for songs rather than the real words.
He sometimes baby talks and it makes me crazy.
Totally gets himself ready in the morning except getting his breakfast and doing his hair (which he tries to sometimes...usually means there's one small spot on his head that has a lot of gel in it).
Always wants to go out to eat but has been into eating "healthy" so he suggests Chick-fil-a and Subway because you can eat healthy there. (But then he also loves McDonalds.)
At home though, he wants mac n cheese or pizza.
He loves salad lately (lettuce mainly but will sometimes let me add cucumbers, snap peas, or even red pepper) with only Catalina dressing, he likes no other dressings.
He is really excited about being 4 1/2.
He wants to play team soccer again.
Seems to be really learning the simple music concepts he is learning at group piano lessons, which makes me really happy and proud.
Is doing great at swimming lessons, starting to learn how to flip when at the wall and doing the butterfly stroke.
Watches all kinds of cartoons now...not necessarily the same thing all the time when he gets to be on his iPad in the morning or for a few minutes before reading books at night.
Maxwell does a great job reading (Brittany saw him reading to his class the other day when she went to pick him up at school).
He thinks he's smarter than mom and dad.  :)
He loves to wear athletic shorts and shirts.
Sometimes, he asks to help with chores
He can get engrossed in stuff like playing with legos or transformers.
He still thinks that if he hides under something that he's invisible.  :)
His favorite color changes often.
When you ask him what he wants to do when he grows up, he will still say that he wants to work with mom at crossmark.
He is incredibly loving (will want to sit by you, or kiss you, or hold your hand) and very social around older kids/adults but not so much with kids of his own age.
He's a pro at bowling on the wii.
Looks like a boy - - no toddler or baby left. :(
He is aware of being naked and will cover up after the shower so Emmalyn won't see his private parts (but doesn't seem to think about that when they shower together).


Emmalyn:
Loves pulling up zippers by herself on her jacket or pajamas.
Wants to buckle the chest buckle on her carseat by herself all the time.
Wants cereal with milk in the bowl some mornings.
Loves baths -- she will ask "Bath today?"
She talks a lot!
She has cute, soft curly hair that is thickening up.  She wants her hair done (piggytails) but won't let elastics/bows stay in her hair.
She loves her brother so much.  in the morning sometimes that's the first thing she will say, "where's "Masswell"? (maxwell)
Emmalyn can count to ten even though she doesn't know what it means all the time.
She still likes her binky, it helps her calm down.
Loves her stuffed turtle and puppy needs both when she goes to sleep.
She wakes up early to nurse in the morning
Her boots are her favorite shoes.
Emmalyn loves yogurt, applesauce, cottage cheese, and would keep eating it and not stop if we didn't limit her portions.
She doesn't always go down for a second nap anymore but we still try.