Sunday, August 14, 2016

Outdoor birthday present fun

We got the boys Big Wheels for their birthday. Pappy put them together for us and the boys could not WAIT to get out and ride them. We waited until after dinner since it has been so hot. . . they had a blast, even though it was still ridiculously hot!!



We drove around on our Big Wheels for a while and then we got out our new soccer goal from Gramma and Pappy.


It comes with lacrosse sticks and hockey sticks too, but I think we might have to teach the boys a little more about playing lacrosse . . .


I was playing with Charlie for a moment and the next moment, I turned around and saw Alex flying down the hill. Apparently he discovered he could go very fast!

The picture is so blurry but look how happy he is!!!

And of course, if Alex does something, Charlie has to do the same!!

Saturday, August 13, 2016

Happy Fourth Birthday, Charlie and Alex!


Two four year olds!! I can hardly believe it!!! The boys were so excited for their birthday and even after a fun party the day before, they were up and ready to celebrate early on their birthday. I had to work that day, so I fixed them a birthday breakfast and then headed to work. Michael brought them up to school around 10 so he could do some visitation to church members and we spent the next little while walking around the school and letting them visit with teacher friends. They loved having everybody make a big deal over them!! For lunch, the wanted to go to Chickfila (imagine that!) so we headed to the food court at the mall. (Michael wanted to have a different option for lunch!) When we got there, we discovered that there was a new kiosk at the mall that served italian ice. These boys were overjoyed to get to have a special birthday treat and Mommy was happy to finally have a dairy free dessert somewhere in Winston-Salem!

Aren't their shirts so cute!?

After birthday lunch, Michael brought them home to nap and I ran back to school to finish up just a few things. I came home and found them still fast asleep.


(Charlie apparently had fought his nap hard, but exhaustion quickly won out!) 


 After nap, we got in the car and drove to High Point. I had to pick up what I had left from the WeeRuns sale (thankfully, it was only 5 items!) and the boys had chosen Carter Brothers as their birthday dinner of choice.

   We have eaten at Carter Brothers quite a bit this summer and there is a waitress who just loves the boys. She wanted to bring the boys a special dessert for their birthday but again, due to their milk allergy, it's hard to do. She was determined though and so she made them each a fruit cup and all the waitresses came out and sang Happy Birthday to the boys, which they LOVED!


After dinner, it was time to go to Grammy's house for the best part of any birthday - PRESENTS!!







The boys got lots of Paw Patrol toys and DinoTrux. They got some new school clothes and blocks and then Mommy and Daddy got them a Big Wheel (Which Pappy thankfully put together for us!). Grammy had a purple cake for them so we could blow out candles and celebrate some more.

Pictures like these always crack me up . . . sometimes it's so clear to me that they are two very different little boys. But then, at times like these, there is no doubt that these two are twins!!! Can you tell who is who??







As I was putting the boys to bed after all our birthday fun, I asked if they had a good day. I don't remember which one said it, but the response I got was, "My birthday was too short!"I think they enjoyed their birthday celebrations!!

  I don't know why this particular birthday was so hard for me, but I have been emotional for a couple weeks leading up to it. When Lucy turned four, I didn't have a hard time! I think what it is though is that I have come to realize that there are no babies left in my house. We have passed out of that phase comepletely - no bottles, no diapers, no pacifiers, no cribs, no high chairs, no pullups, no late-night feedings . . . there isn't any "baby" even left in their little faces anymore. I now have a house full of children, not babies or toddlers. And while I have no desire to relive the baby stage again, it's so hard to believe that time has come and gone. I remember all too well the sleepless nights, the screaming and crying, the never ending feeding and diapering and then, just like that, I have kids that can feed themselves, go to the bathroom on their own, get dressed on their own and sleep through the night, for the most part. I keep remembering those tiny 3 lb 11 oz and 4 lb 3 oz boys, hooked up to feeding tubes and oxygen, separated from me for 25 days and I remember looking at those tiny creatures and dreaming about who they would become. And then I blinked and here we are, four years later and I have the two best little boys in the world. They are so funny and smart and sweet. And wide open and stubborn and exhausting. These boys have such vivid imaginations and playtime with them is so much fun. It's also been amazing to watch them as they have transitioned from parallel play to interacting more and more with each other. You hear about the twin bond from other twin moms and from reading articles, but watching these two together is incredible. They are best buds and it melts my heart every day. And if all of that wasn't great enough, they are the most loving little guys. I can't get enough of their sweet hugs and kisses and "I wuv you's". . . . I want this phase to last as long as possible!!! Happy 4th birthday, my precious Charlie and Alex. Life is never dull with the two of you around and it is more wonderful and sweeter and fuller because I have the two of you. I love you so much!!


And then, just because I don't know where else to put these pictures, here are a couple of fun things we've done this summer too.


Lucy was at Gramma's house, so the boys drove their own grocery carts at the store. They LOVED it!

When we finally got rid of pullups at night time, the boys got to go to Build a Bear and make their own Chase and Marshall dogs.

I snapped this picture after we ate dinner the night of our family photos. It just doesn't get any cuter than these two!!


Charlie's Favorites at 4 years old




What is your favorite color? pink
What is your favorite toy? trains and cars
What is your favorite fruit? watermelon
What is your favorite TV show? Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
What is your favorite movie? Frozen Fever
What is your favorite outfit? Pink Shirt and shorts
What is your favorite snack? Gummies
What is your favorite book? Raffi book and Little Blue Truck
Who are your best friends? Grammy . . . and Alex
What is your favorite animal? Raffi (Giraffes, of course!)
What is your favorite song? Songs on the sheep CD (It's a CD of hymns)
What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
What do you sleep with at night? Raffi, August the dinosaur, blanket, Marshall and other Paw Patrol toys
What is your favorite drink? Peach HiC (That's what he happened to be drinking when I asked him these questions!)
What is your favorite breakfast food? BeBos
What do you like to eat for lunch? PDQ (again, we happened to be eating there while I asked him these questions), and then Chickfila
What do you want to eat for your birthday dinner? Carter Brothers
What do you want to be when you grow up?  He said he wanted to be like Mommy (sweet boy!) . . . and then later in the car, he wanted to be a fireman or policeman like Alex

Alex's Favorites at 4 years old




What is your favorite color? orange
What is your favorite toy? Paw Patrol Lookout Tower
What is your favorite fruit? grapes
What is your favorite TV show? Paw Patrol, of course!
What is your favorite movie? Frozen
What is your favorite outfit? orange shorts
What is your favorite snack? Laffy Taffy
What is your favorite book? "BoBo" devotions (There is a sheep on the front of the book)
Who are your best friends? Charlie
What is your favorite animal? BoBos! (Sheep)
What is your favorite song? "Five Little Monsters"
What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
What do you sleep with at night? Sheep, Paw Patrol animals, other puppies, Bee-Bite (Blanket)
What is your favorite drink? Apple Juice
What is your favorite breakfast food? BeBos (Pecan twirls)
What do you like to eat for lunch? Ham and bread
What do you want to eat for your birthday dinner? Carter Brothers
What do you want to be when you grow up?  Pappy and Poppa (later that day, he came back and said he still wanted to be Pappy and Poppa but he also wanted to be a policeman and a fireman)

Friday, August 12, 2016

A Paw Patrol 4th Birthday Party


The boys wanted a Paw Patrol birthday party this year. We invited some of their friends and had a great time.



We started with "Pin the Badge on Chase." Don't let Alex fool you . . . he was peeking! ;)





Our next game was our pinata. The boys couldn't wait! They had been so excited to stuff the pinata and were ready for everything to fall out.







Uncle Joe made balloon animals for everyone . . . dogs, bunnies, giraffes, swords, hats . . . you name it, he made it!


 Aunt Lauren did face painting as well. We had puppy dog paws, butterflies, puppies, and lots more.






We had to take a break and stop to look at the pouring down rain!

Pappy and Poppa had fun with balloon hats too!


After all that fun, we had dinner - "pup"corn, "Paw-Tato" chips, Fetch sticks (pretzel rods), Chew toys (Twizzlers), Kibble (Cocoa Puffs and Kix), fruit, veggies and Chickfila nuggets.




After dinner, it was time for presents!!





Then  it was time for cake and cupcakes! We put our four candles on the cupcakes and sang.




It was only quiet for a few minutes and then the sugar kicked in. These kids ran and screamed and had all kinds of fun! It was LOUD!!!





The good thing about all that craziness is that we were TIRED when we got home! I think the boys had a fun time at their party!