Piggy Banks!

Today we got to hang out with a long time friend, Jeanie. She was one of my mom's music students way back in the day and she's remained friends with our family. Jeanie was an important part of my childhood - just a few of the fun memories we have together was how she would let me drive her rental cars (sshhh, don't tell), she and I threw my mom her 40th bday party and she took my brother and I to Chicago, and picked us up from the airport in a limo! So as you can see, having Jeanie in my children's lives is such a special gift. And speaking of gifts, she always comes with her hands overflowing in generosity.

Jeanie gave the kids their first piggy banks! I've been wanting to start savings accounts (and also to practice spend/tithe/save) for both kids and this is the PERFECT starting point. And putting all educational stuff aside, how fun is it to put money inside a piggy?

Here's a group picture: Eisley, Eric, Jeanie, Me, Emmett, Belva (Jeanie's mom).

Belva asked Emmett, "Can I be your Grandma today?" Emmett said, "No, I already have a Grandma, Grandma Cyndi." So sweet.

Emmett's Educational Video Game

"Mom, look at my educational video game. It shoots soda pop all over. SHHHHHH. And it breaks sometimes."

Kids Eat Free Website

I just found a website that lists all the places, day by day, where kids eat free! It's at CouponDivas.com. HERE is the link.

Here is another one at Frugalliving.tv.

THIS one is cool too! You type in your zip code and what day you want a "meal deal."

"a book"

Every girl needs a good book to read.

She is not content on the toilet with out "a book."

Macaroni Necklaces

Emmett is 39 months today! I've been feeling badly because I keep track of Eisley's monthly birthdays but not Emmett's. I know, it doesn't really matter, but I thought of it today, so I did a quick calculation and....Emmett is 39 months!

Today we made noodle necklaces. Emmett told me boys don't wear necklaces. He still made one, but it had to go all the way down to his knees.

He did SO well stringing the noodles. For my nanny girl I taped the end so it made the end firm like a little needle which was easier to string.

Eisley had an amazing day! Not only did she pick out her own outfit (we're going to have to work on this a little bit - she is wearing 2 pairs of underwear and 2 pairs of socks) but she went all day without a diaper. Her first accident was at 4:00pm. In full disclosure, she wore a diaper to nap which was wet when she awoke. She went potty almost every time she sat on the toilet. I would ask her if she needed to go and she would say, "no" or "yes." It was just adorable. I am so proud of her, I don't care one bit if she goes in her diaper or toilet, but since she's so excited to use the toilet, I'm just going with it!

Make a Wish

We went to the Mall of America today for Toddler Tuesday. The Science Museum was there with a puppet show about apes. Emmett enjoyed it much more than I thought he would. We spent some time playing with Legos and then ate at Famous Daves (kids eat free, so I figured it cost us about as much as McDonalds). As we walked towards our entrance we had to make a quick stop at the wishing fountain.

He wished for money so that he could get a gum ball and a Nintendo DS.

I gave Eisley a penny too, but she didn't really care as long as she could just touch the water.

After the wishing well, Emmett asked to look at the big boy shoes. He picked out the grey pumas and asked if he could try them on. I obliged and then let him try on 4 more pairs, just because he wanted to, SOOO badly. Even after the fourth pair he came over and whispered in my ear, "Mommy, can I try on one more pair." Eisley was content trying on the display shoes.

And just because I never believed my mom when she used to say, "You don't need a double stroller, we just used our single for both of you kids." So Mom, for all of the times I laughed at you, I guess you were right after all. Who needs a double stroller?

Morphing Crafts

Our crafts rarely turn out the way they are planned, but nevertheless morph into something that the kids enjoy doing. So, I continue to introduce fun activities to the kids in hopes that eventually, along the way, we will have some laughs, some smiles and some photos (of course)!

Today started out with straws, paper plates, balloons and tape. We (I) made little rackets to catch/swat the balloons with.

Emmett had fun swatting, catching and batting the balloon. My nanny girl (almost 3) wasn't into it. Not sure if it's the age, gender, personality or what. I often feel like Emmett and I are on the "this would be fun" wave length. As he usually enjoys and "gets" the activities that we do. My poor little nanny girl must be on a different wave length somewhere that I have yet to tap into. Don't worry, I'll keep trying!!!

The straws did not serve as very strong handles, as you can imagine, so when all of our rackets had broken we moved to another activity with the paper plates.

I thought we could put numbers on the back of the paper plates and stickers that coordinated with the numbers. Then we could scatter the plates all around and put them in the right order (we never actually made it to my grand idea). I enlisted Emmett to trace my over my yellow numbers, because I needed "help" making them darker.

As I could have never predicted, this number tracing became the favorite activity of the morning. Emmett kept asking for more and more numbers to trace. So the yellow paper you are seeing in the pictures below was after he had already traced 1-21 and was now working his way up to 33. Later in the morning he asked to continue doing numbers, but this time quickly lost interest and decided to draw "avatar" and "a normal avatar" instead.

For all you dying with curiosity over what a 3-year-old's "avatar" could possibly look like, here you go:

The "normal avatar"

"avatar"

And, as is pretty typical for our craft time, Eisley was happily playing on the floor with stacking cups (after she got tired of playing with stickers at the table with us).

Conversations with Emmett

Really, is there anything better than a conversation with a 3 year old? Here are some of our recent conversations:

Eric asks Emmett, as part of a magic trick, "Where does God live?" Emmett responds, "God lives in Minnesota." The answer we were looking for was Heaven.

Emmett is very into neighborhoods and neighbors lately (for the past few months). So he'll often ask, as we get near our home or near Grandparents' homes, "Is this our (their) neighborhood?" My response, "Yes, this is." "The whole world is our (their) neighborhood?" My response, hesitation, "Well, yes, I guess you could consider the whole world our neighborhood." Wow, such philosophical questions from a 3 year old!

Emmett what are you drawing? "A happy monster!" Why, yes of course, it really is a happy monster! (click to zoom)

"Emmett, what's going on here?" As I stare at disbelief at all of his shirts (neatly) stacked on top of his train table. "I picked out my clothes for tomorrow."

When Eric picks Emmett's clothes out for Sunday morning (pretty much the only time Emmett doesn't get 100% control over what he wears), I hear this, "Mom, I don't like this dress." And no, we are not making him wear a dress. He just calls his outfit a dress, because I tell him to get dressed. It really does make perfect sense.

He tells me almost daily, "Look Mom, your tummy's getting bigger!" Yes, I am pregnant, but only 11 weeks. We'll just call it a growing baby bump!

When he doesn't have to go to the bathroom but I've asked him to try, "But Mommy, there's no potty in my penis."

Playing in the sun

We grilled chicken and asparagus today while the kids played outside. It wasn't "warm" per se, but it was sunny and warm enough for these MN kids!

Emmett went for his first bike ride of the season. We're planning to ditch the training wheels this spring, so we'll see how that goes!

Eisley picked up small pieces of dirty ice...and ate them.

And also made footprints in the snow - which she LOVES to do. And I love to watch her dainty little fingers.

Lunch was DELICIOUS!! Can't wait till grilling out is the norm!

Creative Kids Stuff

(free) Saturday outting to the toy store, Creative Kids Stuff. The kids played and we followed them around repairing the damage.

One of Emmett's favorite was this Ezy Roller. You move it by wiggling the handle bar back and forth and that is also how you steer. Emmett seriously jumped on it and rode all around the whole store. It was almost funny how well he was able to control it - it didn't look like it would have been very easy.

Eisley spent her time trying to open toys...

Or objecting when we tried to stop her.

It was a fun morning out with the family!

Also, tonight was our first couples Bible Study. Eric and I both enjoyed it. Emmett got a special treat by hanging out alone with Nana since Eisley was already in bed.

Cute little Emmett saying of the day:

Eric asked, "Emmett, who is the most beautiful person you know?"

Emmett said, "Mommy."

"Who is the second most beautiful person you know?"

"Ummmm, Nana and Eisley."

Growing up

Eisley is growing up right before my very eyes.

She is becoming an expert spoon and fork user.

Also, twice today she asked to use the toilet and then actually went potty in it!

Eisley's 15 month Stats

I LOVE going to well baby doctor's appointments! Eisley's 15 month was today. Other than a double ear infection, of which I had NO idea, she is doing great! She is off the charts developmentally but also off the charts for her weight. She officially dropped beneath 3rd percentile. She's a great eater and doesn't have any health issues so there's no need for concern there.

The area I do have concern is her aggressiveness - biting, scratching, hair-pulling. It's been going on since she could move, since she was 6 months or so, and she doesn't seem to care about any disciplinary/distracting/redirecting action I've taken. She also has some other quirky little things she does that are either just quirky or maybe related, not sure. She likes to put things over her head so she can't see and then walk till she bumps into something, she likes to walk or push herself on her stomach backwards, she HATES spinning, she loves really aggressive play and she always wants to be held. I asked the doctor about an occupational therapy evaluation and he said it wouldn't hurt. So making an appointment for her is next on my list. Hopefully we'll get some answers - either they can help or they can't.

Now for the hard cold numbers:

Weight: 18 lbs 2 oz - less than 3rd percentile

Height: 30.5 inches - 45th percentile

Head: ?? - 45th percentile

all in a days work

Train track making is one thing I LOVE doing with Emmett.

And we put a gate in the doorway (after completion) so the babies don't destroy the tracks.

Then I put the kids to work cleaning the floors :)

Emmett decided he wanted to draw an L - this is from memory!

Then he drew a fish! And it REALLY looks like a fish!

One of those pretzel with frosting and dinosaur sprinkles kind of day.

Sunshine!

Emmett really wanted to play outside. "It's a little bit warm outside" - as spoken by a true MN boy at 30ish degrees!