Daddy is a super hero

Today while I was in the kitchen making dinner, Colin was entertaining me with talk of superheros.  How Superheros save you from the bad guys and did you know Spiderman is a superhero too?  Its amazing to me how into superheros he is because he has never seen any of the movies (why don't they make a little kids version???) but he is obsessed right now.  It was cute and I wish I could remember everything he said but then he said "mommy you know Daddy is a superhero?" in a voice that sounded in awe.  So I asked him what superpowers Daddy had and he proudly told me "Daddy lifts wood!"

 

Zoo

Since today was Saturday, Brent didn't have to work and neither did my parents so we invited them and my sisters to the zoo for the morning.  Sarah had to get back to work tonight so a morning zoo trip and lunch worked out perfectly for her to join us and make it back in time.  The weather was perfect - cloudy and warm.  And great to get outside since its been cold and rainy the past week. Colin loved showing his favorite animals to everyone and really loved splashing in all the puddles with his new fireman boots.  He pretty much ran around with Ant Ant all morning.  She did have boots on too but I dont think she stomped in the puddles like Colin.  We all rode the train and made me remember all the times we were in Nebraska riding the train at the zoo there with my grandparents.  There was no Big Ben (the bear in NE) but we did get to see the whole lion family out on top of some rocks.  Joel was fascinated by all the animals and I think will really start to love going to the zoo. We have decided to renew our membership for another year so next year Brent and I think we should do the zoo again the day after Christmas. Its a fun tradition to start.  I think we wore Joel out the past two days since he took a 3 hour nap this afternoon.  Colin started taking great naps about this age so I'm hopeful. We had a great morning and have spent the rest of the afternoon playing with all our new toys.

 

Merry Christmas

 Merry Christmas!  We had a wonderful Christmas and are having a hard time believing its already come and gone.  It went by way too fast.  We opened stockings and presents at our house in the morning and then went over to my parents house the rest of the day. It still doesn't seem the same without James and Angela but we did call them on our way over to my parents and Colin sang them Santa Baby. They didn't enjoy it though since we woke them up so next year we won't be calling them to sing songs in the morning :)  Its so fun seeing Colin and Joel open their presents and especially Colin get so excited over everything. He was bouncing off the walls all day (eating his whole bag of chocolate covered raisins from Santa also might have contributed to that) Colin was excited about his big blue flashlight and was also excited to give Joel the present he picked out for him. (baby keys since Colin refuses to give up his! ha it is the thought that counts! and now they both have one)  This was the year for costumes for Colin as he got a pirate costume, a VT football player uniform, and a fireman's jacket and fireman boots. And books, lots and lots of books. Joel was excited to rip paper off presents and eat the paper.  Joels eyes would light up when he saw his gifts which was really cute to see.  He got some big boy trucks and trains and now doesn't have to try to scoot over to where Colin is playing. Although all day Colin has been playing with BOTH his and Joel's toys.  And Joel has gotten ten times faster at scooting today just to get at his toys.  Joel is also very jealous of Colin's football helmet and keeps trying to get at it :)  Sharing is a hard thing to learn.  It was also a year for thinking alike as my dad got 2 slide scanners, sarah and I got the same sweatshirt, and Colin got two of the same books.  Pops got Colin "Pirates dont change diapers" book which we have read every day for a week.  So when Colin opened it up from Mary he read it "ooooo Pirates Dont Change Diapers" is what he said and Mary was so amazed that he could read.  I thought about letting her believe that and let him read her the story since he has it memorized but I told her. ha! We were all very blessed by family this year and have all been playing with our presents all day.  (Brent is at this moment setting up his new surround sound speakers to go with his new tv. He will never leave the back room now) Thank you everyone for the wonderful gifts. 

Hunt club farm

Last night we went to Hunt Club Farm with Mary and a bunch of friends.  Mary came over in the afternoon and then we met up with Sarah, Brian, Zach and Julie (and Eli and Jasper) They had a candy cane light maze which Colin loved.  He probably spent most of his time there.  They also had a live nativity, bonfire, marshmellows, a whole Santa's workshop, and Santa himself. Colin wasn't too excited about Santa and he was a little scary.  He kept asking me who my baby's daddy was (I had joel in a carrier) and then he proceeded to tell Brent that I had carried the baby for 9 months it was his turn to carry the baby. Ha! We quickly left that part.   Especially since it seemed like the elves were all a little freaky looking!  Colin didn't seem to notice but the rest of us did :) Jasper was so cute and kept unscrewing the lights in the candy cane maze. Colin keeps asking if he can go back and do the maze again. It was fun being there and seeing everything with all the Christmas lights. 

 

Scary elf chopping down a tree

Ooooo..... another present under the tree.  Lets see who its for!

Christmas - Round 1

This weekend we celebrated Christmas early wtih Brent's Dad (aka Pops) or Santa Pops as Brent and Colin called him this weekend.  And we even managed to get Colin looking at the camera for a picture! thats success there! We met Pops in Yorktown Friday for a late lunch and  then Brent and his dad drove to Williamsburg to have some drinks at the Williamsburg Inn.  Then the rest of the weekend was spent playing with the kids and watching sports. Saturday Brent got a new TV from his dad.  Colin and Joel loved the tv box and at one point I looked for Joel and couldn't find him and looked in the box and he and Colin were happily playing in the box. For over an hour!  In fact they are in the box right now. It was really cute watching the boys open their presents. Joel wanted to eat the wrapping paper and Colin loved playing with his gifts - both his and Joels! A fun weekend with Pops and now the boys are even more excited for Christmas to get here. Pops went home to 16 inches of snow!  Wish he could send some our way.

 

And this little guy has gotten his first tooth!  And he can get up on all fours and rock back and forth.  He scoots pretty well to get something he wants.  When I walk out of the room for a minute he is in a totally different spot when I return. Its only a matter of time before he's speed crawling all over the place.  He really wants to move.

Museum fun

 Yesterday we spent the warm day at a park with Jamie and Benjamin.   Mary met us at a park while we were playing.  Jamie and I were there maybe close to 3 hours letting the boys play and run off some energy. There were a lot of kids there and they all played well together.  A lot of boys who chased each other with sticks and had a mock battle. Colin and the little boys didn't get it but thought it was fun to run around with "swords" and hit them against other sticks.   It was fun and even more fun when Mary came home with us. Colin was so excited. She even made us chocolate covered peanuts. YUM! Hopefully Mary can come over lots while she's home on break.  haha but the funniest thing is that the first thing Brent said when he got home and heard mary had been here was "did she tell you what she got me for christmas?"  ha!

Then tonight Kelly inivited me to this really cool museum in Portsmouth that has this whole WinterWonderland.  Most of those people in the pictures move and there are maybe 3 huge rooms filled with them.  Brent got home early and it was such a blessing because I had been wanting to do something with just Colin.  Especially because he's starting to show his stubborn side and we've had some strong battle of wills lately.  I guess it shouldnt come as a surprise since he is my child but life as a parent has gotten a lot harder lately.  We were both needing some good time together so I'm glad Brent could stay home with Joel. It was great.  I need to do this more often and just take Colin to fun places and not just to the store (since he does help me with errands on the weekends) He talked the whole way there and was so cute and funny on the way home. At the museum they gave us a sheet of paper with different objects to look for in the different displays.  Colin got really into it and starting finding them right away.  I was amazed at how well he did. It was fun watching Colin and RJ look at everything.  Although I think their favorite part was the plastic dragon outside the museum. 

 

Kelly and Lucy.  One day Joel will read this and wonder why he was left at home! 

 

 On the way home we stopped at Starbucks for a cookie for colin. And cholcolate milk.  He even let me take his picture eating his cookie. He was so animated and funny and charmed everyone there. 

 

Which is an accomplishment because lately when I try to take his picture he gives me this look.  And people might wonder why they aren't getting christmas pictures of Colin this year...

It was a great night and before Colin went to bed the "no girls allowed" sign was removed from his door. We'll see if it goes back up tomorrow.

Baby Jesus GIrl

Friday when we were at my parents Colin was playing with their nativity set and kept talking about 'baby Jesus Girl" and I kept saying no its Mary, Jesus' mother.  But he kept insisting so I went over to look and it indeed looks like a baby Jesus Girl.  He told me "our baby Jesus doesn't have a PINK dress. So ma-maa and Grandpa have a baby Jesus Girl" Funny thing is that I think they have had that nativity set as long as I can remember and we never questioned baby Jesus wearing a pink dress.

We made Joel's stocking this weekend so I guess he's officially part of our family. (and for the rest of the family I had this great idea to do the handprint wreath and baby feet reindeer for christmas gifts but after doing it once they were both done.  it was going to make a great pillow for everyone. So I'm keeping that one! Didn't it turn out great though :) I framed it instead of making it into a pillow. And like it even better.

 Colin and I made a volcano. He loved it.  Science experiments are fun when you don't have to do the whole research paper with them.  

 We moved my organ my great grandpa made for Sarah and I (at least I think he made it. He built organs) But it was in our backroom and to make room for Christmas decorations we put it in our bedroom.  The boys have never played with it more.  They didnt touch it when it was in front of them every day but they love to go into my room and play with the keys. 

 

Joel's a natural.  

Colin loves to walk around the house singing "jingle bells jingle bells all a all a way!"  And he jingles a jingle bell pen I got him the whole time.  He is also singing "Santa Baby hurry down the chimney tonight" today. Ha! he heard it on the radio and thought it was funny to have Santa be a baby like Baby Joel. We left it at that...

Colin also has a "no girls allowed" on his door this weekend. And since I'm not allowed in there I've actually gotten things done.  Joel, Brent and Colin have spent time in there.  Although this morning Colin put a "no daddy's allowed" so I think he wants just him and Joel.  He's growing up.

5 months old

How Big is Baby...

Today our little baby is 5 months old.  Where did the time go?  He is such a joyful baby that will smile when you look at him. And he is the most ticklish baby ever.  I love to just tickle him and hear him giggle really hard.  He really loves to watch his big brother.  Joel always wants to see what Colin is doing/playing with and if its more exciting than what he has he will try to scoot his way over there. Or at least try. Colin is very sweet most of the time to let Joel play with some of his toys.  I know there will come a time when he wont want to share but he will find toys for Joel to play with. And yes Joel is scooting all over the place now. He's not really crawling but he can roll/scoot to get whatever he wants.  And he tries hard and it takes him a while but he's getting faster every day. Joel still loves most of all to be snuggled with which we all love and his new thing is to grab our faces and then slobber on our cheeks.  Probably what he experiences with the thousands of kisses he gets from his mom, dad, and big brother.  Its so sweet and i love it.  And he loves to slap his right hand against his leg. He learned it over thanksgiving and is so proud of himself. I think we said this every month with Colin but does he really have to get older?  Each new stage and month is fun but it goes by so fast. We just love our baby Joel!

So Big!

Saying goodbye to daddy before work

 It is 7:30 and this is what you see in Colin's room.  We didn't get a dog but we are dogsitting a really sweet dog named Sampson this weekend.  Colin has told me maybe a hundred times "mommy I loving having a dog"  (and don't worry Sarah, he doesn't' want to keep sampson, he wants a dog like him and tells Sampson that his mommy will be back soon) Joel is a little afraid of Sampson so we're slowly easing him into it and keeping them in separate rooms right now but I think they are warming up to each other.  Colin loves taking Sampson on walks and I think we took the poor dog on 4 today.  No wonder at 6:30 both of them passed out in Colin's room.  Although I told Brent that I think I'd rather have another baby before a dog - somehow kids seem so much easier to me :)

 

Really dont tell Colin to smile for a picture because this is what you get right now.

 

 Monday it was so nice we met Julie and her kids at the playground. I love this shot of Colin and Jasper.

 

Wednesday it was raining a little bit and Julie, Eli and Jasper came over.The minute it stopped raining they wanted to go outside.  Here they are making soup.  It entertained them a long time and Colin still goes outside to stir his soup. 

 

And this little guy gets cuter and cuter each day.  I had more to say but I think i'm going to go to bed. Joel is teething we think and has been up every few hours and Colin doesn't like to sleep much either so here's hoping for a good night tonight. Ha! I guess I've hit that phase in life where to be in bed before 8:00 on a Friday night sounds wonderful.

Its beginning to look a lot like christmas

Saturday after we got home we put up our Christmas tree. Colin really got into decorating this year and carefully placed his ornaments.The tree is a little bottom heavy with ornaments and they get moved constantly as Colin keeps playing with them all.  He really likes the nativity set and its fun seeing him play with the wise men and baby Jesus. Colin woke up the next morning and told me it was going to be a really fun day and I asked him why and he said "Santa came last night" so he's a little confused as to how it all works and thinks that Jesus has a really long birthday party (what he told me today) and he wants to know if he can have his birthday party just as long.  ha!  Joel loves sitting under our tree and looking at all the lights and wants to just eat the ornaments.  I remember being little and just sitting near the tree just looking at all the lights and ornaments.  Colin and Joel both like sitting next to (or under the tree) So fun.

I tried to get a picture of the boys and I in front of the tree but self portraits are hard - esp when they love looking at the tree

 

Sunday night we went to the Founders Inn Illumination.  Julie, Eli and Jasper came and so did our friend Sarah. According to the website and brochure there was going to be a lot of stuff going on.  It sounded really fun and very family friendly.  Ha nope! There were crowds of people and the lines for everything was really long. I think it was over an hour wait for the free carriage rides and the face painting was just as long.  So we all went out to the courtyard to wait for the lights while Brent and Colin stayed inside to listen to the Christmas Story. Colin wanted to stay and listen and Brent said he went down with all the other kids next to Pat Robertson to hear the story. (I had the camera - i wish brent had gotten a picture) Pat Robertson asked a few questions and then Brent said he opened up his bible and read mabye 2 sentences and then was done.  It lasted all of 5 minutes.  So they came and joined us outside where Colin and Jasper were crying and Eli might have been crying too.  It was dark and you couldn't see and there were tons of people. Then Pat Robertson came out on this balcony (where they had an orchestra that no one could hear) and we counted down from 10 and then they turned the lights on.  Then everyone went home.  Not too exciting and next year we'll just go on another night and walk around the courtyard.  The kids were disappointed since I think we had talked it up but it was still good to get out of the house.