Annie is 4 months!

Annie is 4 months old! She is growing fast and getting lots of personality. She smiles so big and lets you know when she isn't happy. Jacob is her little buddy, he told me the other day that Annie really likes spiderman and wanted to watch it on TV (I think he really thinks he's putting one over on us). He loves to talk baby talk to her and make her smile, but he does tattle on her when she pulls his hair or hits him in the face with her little balled up fists on accident. He tells her that isn't nice, too. He also let me know that when she chews on her fingers it means that she is hungry and he thinks she is hungry alot! Annie @ 4 months:

Gwyn @ 4 months:

Jacob @ 4 months:

Friday was pajama day at Jacob's school. He said his pajamas were the coolest ones there even though Matthew had motorcycles on his. He got to bring a flashlight and a pillow, and he said he really liked Matthew's mom because she brought batman fruit snacks and cheetos for snack....great, now I have to try to one up Matthew's mom next time it is my snack time...batman fruit snacks combined with cheetos is going to be very hard to beat...I might have to get my cupcake chef on board to create some spiderman cupcakes with Doritos AND juice boxes, top that Matthew's mom! Ha!

Being 4 months brings new tricks...Annie turning on her back from her stomach:

Annie pulling out her pacifier and saying "What's up? I'm so cool, I can take out my paci and then the real funny thing is that I cry until you put it back in because I haven't learned how to do that yet...maybe when I'm like another month older."

I put braids in Gwyn's hair for the first time, it was REALLY cute for the 45 minutes it lasted, but Em gave me a trick of doing it when it is wet to make it last longer, so we'll try that tomorrow:) I did have a hard time with her moving her head around, but I think I found a solution to that...put Dora on and she'll stare straight at the TV for the entire 20 minute show. She has lately been saying a bunch of spanish words thanks to Dora, I hear her counting and telling Jacob, "say uno, say dos, say tres" "arriba" "hola" "abuela" "azuel."

All 3 kids together on the couch. They are getting pretty smart, they ask for treats (one M&M or one skittle) after they smile for a picture. They know how to work you, and Jacob and Gwyn are like a little tag team. Oh, and Gwyn didn't get her other pigtail cut off with Jacob's pair of elephant safety scissors (although I'm sure that is going to happen very soon, since he decided to cut his pants with them the other day...they don't call him Mr. Scissors at school for nothing, he is supposedly the best "cutter" in his whole class), her pigtail just caught on the back of the couch...Here is another picture of Annie, she's been making this face alot. It is pretty funny in person.

Here are the kids while I was making dinner. Gwyn is a little upset because she asked for a pat of butter (I was slicing it to put on some garlic bread), so I gave her one, which she liked and ate it plain, then wanted another, and another, so after 3 pats of plain butter, I told her she had had enough, because I thought surely I was breaking some good-mom-guideline about feeding your kids straight butter, anyway, she was upset because she wanted more butter. I tried putting butter on the bread for her to eat it, but she can somehow eat all the spread on butter off of the bread without eating any bread itself, a technique she probably mastered while watching Jacob lick every ounce of icing off a cupcake while leaving the entire cupcake totally intact.

I let the kids each bring one toy in the car everytime we leave to go somewhere (you can imagine how my car looks). Anyway, we got in the car and pulled out and Gwyn realized that she forgot to bring a toy and Jacob had one of those talking chipmunks (mcdonald's happy meal toy), but we were already gone from the house and we weren't going far, so I told her she would just have to remember the next time. Then, all upset, I hear this over and over for the next 10 minutes "I got nothing." sniff, sniff "I got nothing." boo, hoo "I got nothing." It was pretty funny.

Jacob said he was the Daddy and Gwyn was the Mommy and that Brian and I were the kids. I told him okay, I'll play this game: I'm hungry, I'm thirsty, I need help putting my socks and shoes on, I need my jacket, I want to go outside, I have to go potty, Gwyn is being too loud, I got a little bit of dirt on my shirt, so I need a new shirt, I need a snack, I want to watch Little Bear, no, not that episode, I want the one where Little Bear goes fishing, you've never taken me fishing, I need milk, I want to go outside and play, push me in the swing, higher, higher, higher, play pirate ship with me, no, you can't be captain, I'm the captain, you are the cook, I need a new shirt, this one is scratchy, can I have a treat?, it is my turn, Gwyn hit me, I spilled my milk, oops, I spilled all my crackers and then stepped on them and tracked little crumbs all over the floor you just swept, you are sick, will you play dr?, I don't need to blow my nose.

Jacob thought that was so funny, he laughed and laughed. I love that little boy!

This week has been great, we've been able to play outside everyday, the weather has been beautiful and we're getting in park days and bicycle time like crazy. Gwyn is determined, so I'm sure it won't be long and you'll see a video of her riding her little pink bike!

Be My Valentine

Annie is growing fast, she will be 4 months this week and has learned a new trick...rolling over from her stomach to her back, where she gets stuck and then cries...fun for me in the middle of the night! She is such a sweet baby and loves to smile, especially at Jacob and Gwyn who are in her face non-stop. Brian says she is going to have some personal space issues later in life in that she will think it is totally normal to get right up in someone's face to smile and talk to them...I'm talking about maybe 1/4" from their nose. No wonder we keep passing on this long-lived runny nose between all 3 kids! Here is another pic of Annie, she is just so cute!

The kids enjoyed having their G and Grandpapa down for a 3 day visit this past weekend, and now we are experiencing the results of their withdrawl from not having them here. They are back to reality and are greatly missing a couple of extra people around to be their personal playmates, pirateship matey, doctor patient, lego partner, etc. Brian and I got a much needed break from getting up at 5:15 am for a couple of mornings, a big thank you to Rick and Sue! Gwyn and Jacob are EARLY risers, full of energy by 5:45 am every morning, and this is always after Annie has been up at least twice during the night, so I've been operating on fumes and it was nice to get to go back to bed until 8 am! We also got to go out to dinner on Saturday night, a rare and very nice occasion! One thing the kids LOVE to do is dance, we dance every night, usually while I'm making dinner and then after dinner. Rick and Sue got in on some action as well (Annie is picking up on it pretty fast!):

It was Jacob's valentine's party at school, and since I had signed up to coordinate it, I was there. The kids love it when their parents come to visit, and we had a great time...who wouldn't with pizza, juice, craft, game, and ice cream sundaes!

Jacob's favorite Valentine book (he loves his boots Claudia, and wears them ALL the time!):

It was a little cold and rainy throughout this past week, but we did take every opportunity that we could to get outside and let the kids play, even if it was 15 minutes here, or 30 minutes there. Below is some pictures when we were playing and it started to rain...no wonder my laundry is such an issue, I think they each had 3 outfits that day!

Here is sweet little Gwyn, we were waiting for Brian and Jacob to get home from the airport with G and Grandpapa:

"Hearts mean valentine," says Jacob. He and Gwyn got their fill of Valentine festivities especially with Rick and Sue visiting. They dipped strawberries in chocolate, which was a hit for everyone except for Gwyn who likes the process (except when she got anything on her hands), but wanted the chocolate taken off her strawberry so she could eat them plain. They are picking up on this holiday stuff, they seem to get presents and candy and they are all about that!

Happy 2nd Birthday Gwyn!

It is hard to believe that 2 years ago today, Gwyn was born. Time does fly when you are having fun, and we have had so much fun with her. She is so sweet and sillly, she loves Jacob and Annie and makes us all laugh every day. We had her Dora birthday party at the house today, and here are some highlights: A couple of signs I made:

Jacob being monkey man: Gwyn having fun with Brian:

Gwyn having fun with Jason:

Jacob being silly after opening presents:

Gwyn REALLY happy after opening presents:

She loves to make her "funny face:"

Opening presents:

Annie really liked one of Gwyn's presents:

Our best attempt at a familiy picture:

Gwyn saying "enough already" at all the pictures:

Gwyn with her Dora party hat about to get her cake:

The Dora cake that Brian made (well, he decorated it, I made the cake, the frosting from scratch and then did all the dishes, so give me some credit here too!):

She needed a little help from Jacob and Brian to blow out her candles, but she did try!

A travesty: a cat pooped in our sandbox!

Well, if you haven't heard, we've had a bit of a cat problem lately. It seems a couple of cats have been fighting over our backyard, and both marking their territory (continuously), so that every time you walk out back you smell cat poop. Not fun, especially when they did the unbelievable...pooped in our sandbox! Yes, I tell you they did, but have no fear, ninja cat-fighter Daddy (Brian) is here! Little did we know, that you can find cat traps online, and they are a great deal, 2 for the price of 1 and the shipping was only $5, so for $29.38 you can get not 1, but 2 cat traps to take care of any cat-pooping-in-your-sandbox problem! Well, Brian baited the cat trap with my canned tuna, and we caught not one, but 2 cats in 2 days! You should have seen Brian, he squirted them with a water hose (sorry Claudia!), and then chased after them with the biggest smile on his face...the score is right now Brian 2, the cats 0. I'll keep you posted. The kids really enjoyed cheering their Daddy on...not sure this was a good parenting moment for us or not, but hey, there are some serious diseases they can get from them pooping in our sandbox, and it is ALOT of work to clean out all the sand and replace it. Hopefully animal control or the humane society isn't a fan of our blog! I think Brian goes over to check his trap at least 5 times / day! Poor kitty: Annie loves this little blue elephant, Jacob loved it too, and Gwyn loved it to hang from her car seat.The kids also both went in for their dentist appointments this week...it was Gwyn's first time. She watched Jacob get his teeth cleaned, and then she climbed up into the seat, she got her glasses on to protect her eyes from the bright light and she did great until that awful straw sucker was used at the end and then she started wailing...yes, not crying, but wailing! Thankfully it didn't last long, and it worked out perfect with Rick being in town for one night, so he held Annie in the waiting room while I went back with Jacob and Gwyn. She quickly forgot about how awful that straw sucker was when the dentist told her she could have a prize (a bouncy ball even though she wanted a sucker...I didn't think the dentist would be giving those out!), and she even told the dentist thank you (with tears rolling down her cheeks!).

We are getting prepared for Gwyn's 2nd birthday party at the house on Sunday, I can't believe she is turning 2! When asked what she wants for her birthday, she says: Daddy make me Dora cake. Some funny things the kids have said recently:

Gwyn: I don't need buckle up. Jacob: You don't buckle up, you go to jail. Gwyn: I don't need go to jail.

Jacob praying at dinner: God thank you for Iron Man who eats lots of chicken (Brian and I had told him that if he wanted to grow up strong like Iron Man, then he has to eat all his chicken).

Jacob: Daddy, you need a cat bat (his idea of solving our cat problem!)

Jacob: Knock, Knock. Me: Who's there? Jacob: Nobody there, shut the door (hahahhaah).

As Jacob is drinking a vanilla shake, he says: Mommy, is there white milk in here? I said, yes. He says, "oh." (and has a very confusing look on his face). You see, Jacob drinks chocolate milk, and not just the 1% or 2% kind, he drinks whole chocolate milk and ALWAYS has, since he was 1 and we tried giving him while milk and he didn't like it, then we tried diluting it with chocolate milk, and then he got too smart for that and so, now he drinks chocolate milk everyday...funny thing is that Gwyn loves white milk and doesn't want chocolate milk...she'll catch on pretty soon:)

Here are a couple of videos from the week (Annie has really started to make some noise!):