Into the light

I have been dark for too long...avoiding the blog like the plague...but I am not really sure why!  Yes, sometimes it feels like a chore/job/obligation but I have been too grouchy about it.  Here's what I am hoping is the start to a new relationship with the blog!  (Just a quick post, don't want to exert myself too much here).

Dance class continues...all the way until the recital in June.  And Miss Jill isn't messing around!!!  There is a viewing window so we can see what's going on in class and she is starting to whip these 3 year-olds into shape.  They bring teddy bears to class and are learning a "My Teddy Has a TuTu" song.  If they pull this off during the recital it is going to be LEGENDARY!!!!

In November Nick started basketball and the last game was last week!!!  It was one of the funniest things I have seen involving kids.  Total comedy show!!  In a good way.  Nick had no clue and he had the best time EVER!!!  Once when asked, "what is your favorite thing about basketball?"  Nick's answer was, "the part where we sit down and rest and drink water".  AWESOME!!!  He was one of the youngest on the team and 1 of 2 kids who had never played before but he had 3 awesome coaches

who loved his charm and helped him so much.  Passing...not so hot.  Shooting...made a shot every once in a while.  Defense...we won't even talk about it.  BUT dribbling...oh boy...he had the dribbling DOWN!!! 

I am so going to be the Mom yelling from the stands all the time.  After one game I asked Nick if he can hear me cheering for him during the games and he said, "Yeah, it's kind of annoying!" (with a giant smile on his face).  I can't argue with him since I annoy myself when I watch the videos! 

Can't wait for t-ball to start in May!!!

Thanksgiving

Once again, better late than never.  We had a nice and quiet Thanksgiving this year at Nana & Papa's house with Uncle Pete, Auntie Tara, Emma, Drew & Leah.  Our family gatherings are not quite the same without Uncle Matt and Auntie Karen...we can't wait for Christmas!!!  We took dinner nice and slow this year...nobody could start eating until everyone had their food, everyone had to eat nice and slow...no shoveling dinner in to get to dessert faster like sometimes happens during Sunday dinners.  My favorite part of the day was when we all went around and said what we are thankful for.  We started with the kids so of course I had tears in my eyes when it came to my turn.  Emma went first and said, "I am thankful for food, hahahahahaha!!!"  Drew went second and got stage fright.  Then Nick kicked it off with "I am thankful for Emma and Drew".  Can't get any cuter than that!!!!  Oh wait, yes you can.  When it was Chelsea's turn she said, "I am thankful for my bruva (brother)".  Of course that was followed by a round of "aaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwww".  So thankful that the kids already recognize that family is the most important thing.  And it helps that Papa (lyrics) and big cousin Emma (accompanying dance moves) teach us things like this...

Sorry about the paper plates and cups Nana Stone!!!  Please don't look down on us from above with too much shame, we missed you this year.

Three's Company!

Our beautiful girl turned 3 on November 10th!  She has definitely gone from baby to little girl over the last year.  It has been so fun watching her continue to develop her sassy personality.  Sweet, fiesty, smart, dramatic, loving and empathetic...all rolled into the little girl we are so lucky to call our own.

Current Stats:
Weight, height and head circumference - all still in the 75-100% range
Nickname - most prominent is "Moogs" (which has many variations)
Favorite color - half the time it's blue, half the time it's pink
Favorite lovies - giraffe and pink blankie (there are probably over 15 on her bed but giraffe and pink blankie go to Linda's with her so those must be the faves)
Favorite movie/show - "Air Buddies" and "Max and Ruby" (much to her parents chagrin)
Favorite song - "Here We Go" by the Fresh Beat Band
Favorite princess - Rapunzel

Which brings us to our birthday festivities!

Gotta start the day with a good breakfast!  (of course Nick steals the show as usual!)

Drop Nick off at school and then it's off to the salon for manicures!  She did great...no smudges!

Showing off our manis during birthday dinner at the Charlie Horse

At dance on Saturday.  She got to wear the birthday crown and be the leader during follow-the-leader!

Party time!!!  Rapunzel arrives!!

She stole the show for an hour - filled with nail painting....(glow in the dark polish that didn't quite glow in the dark...at all)...

...a special signed portrait for the birthday girl...

...make-up application...

Chelsea got to hold the mirror and show everyone how beautiful they looked!

A little eye shadow for Addie.  All of the girls were so patient, waiting their turn in the circle.

A little gold for Megan...

...and of course a flower for everyone's hair.  "Look LeLe, you look like a princess!"

Birthday girl is the first one down for the red carpet runway fashion show!

Then a little bit of hair braid limbo!

"Happy Birthday to you!!"

A tribute to Rapunzel

I wonder what princess will be Chelsea's favorite and invited to her party next year (if any)!!!

Fall Back

Since it's going to be close to 70 degrees out tomorrow I feel the need to do a fall recap.  I was feeling like I missed my chance when it was freezing and snowy last week!  So many fall/Halloween festivities...don't know where to begin!

Our new friend the praying mantis

Nick at the annual Easton Sheep Pasture Harvest Fair - so brave! 

Playing with our new friends/neighbors Maeve and Emanuela on a beautiful indian summer day

Carving pumpkins...once again, Daddy had the best ones on the block!

One of my favorite things that happened this fall is we got that huge, beautiful mum for FREE!!  Cuz the kid working the cash register at the apple picking farm didn't know how to ring it up!  Score.

Em's 9th family bday party.  So proud that this beautiful, smart and funny girl is our niece/cousin!

Nick the animal lover

A trip to Winslow's Farm and Animal Sanctuary with the Daley cousins

Weeeeeeeeee!

LOVE this picture!  They all have the same smile!

BFFs.  Uncle Pete kept walking ahead on the "spooky" trail and jumping out to scare the kids...the older ones thought it was the best thing ever



OK.  That's enough.  What time is it?  Pats on at 4?

Thank you for DESTROYING my beautiful FREE plant Mother Nature!!!  That pumpkin is so angry that he has snow and a plant on his head!

Sawyer's birthday party.  Of course we took 25 pics trying to get everyone to smile...yeah right!!!  This is my fave because Chelsea looks so darn cute. (Sophie, Christian, Maggie, Emily, Aiden, Chelsea, Nick, Charlotte & Sawyer)

Nick's farm field trip...pumpkin hunt!

Chrysanthi, Nick and Mikey

Silly kids...well, it was Mommy's idea to put the hay on their heads.  I always feel like I am going to get in trouble when I attend school events!  I totally made up for it when I sat criss-cross apple sauce with my hands folded in my lap during the sing-along.

Finally!  The BIG DAY!!!  They were BEYOND excited to go out trick-o-treating this year.  Such troopers wearing the mask and wig the entire time (hence Chelsea's being a sloppy mess since the crown keep getting tangled in it, so hard to be a princess).

And Tommy dressed up as a ferocious tiger...this cat followed us around the neighborhood like a dog the entire time we were out trick-o-treating.  What a weirdo!!!!

Soccer and Dance Saturdays Begin!

Deep Conversations

Oh boy.  Nick was in some sort of deep mood on Tuesday.  A couple of conversations that went on that day...

1) While Nick and Chelsea were petting Tommy...

Nick: Tommy is my brother
Chelsea: No, Tommy is my brother
N: He's both our brother.  And I have 3 sisters; Queenie and Gracie are my sisters that are cats and you're my sister that is a person.  And someday soon Chelsea you're going to be a wife.  And I am going to be a man.

"Someday soon"???  Sloooooow down!  Mommy's not ready yet.

2) While driving to the playground...

Nick: Mommy, how were you born before me?
Me: Because Nana had me in her belly and then I was born.  And then when I grew older I had you.
Nick: But how do the doctors get the babies out of the bellies?
Me: (big sigh) Ummm. (Might as well just go for it).  Well, babies can come out two different ways.  Some come out of their Moms' vaginas and some babies heads are too big, like you and Chelsea, so the doctors have to cut a hole in the Moms' bellies and then they pull them out. 
Nick: But did it hurt when they cut the hole in your belly?
Me: No, they put stuff on it so it wouldn't hurt.
Nick: Oh.  Did it hurt when they put the stuff on?
Me: No, not at all.
Nick: Oh. Are we going to the playground with the big slide?
Me: Yes. (Huge sigh of relief).

Gotta love kids and the way that their minds work.  I will forever be in awe of the way their little brains want to know so much and can can soak it all up.

Party pics

We had another reptile show for Nick's birthday party this year.  This time there was less talk about not using snakes to make purses and more about how frogs feel slimy like boogers...much better!  The kids were totally engaged (and most of the adults were too!) and Nick had a blast.  After the show we had pizza and cheese breadsticks from Papa Gino's (Nick's all time fave) and then a water balloon toss.  It took Ryan about 45 minutes to fill a bucket full of water balloons...and it took the kids about 5 minutes to pop them all!  Then on to what is becoming the traditional "giant chocolate chip cookie cake" - despite some murmurings about the squishy, half-cooked middle, there wasn't one bite left of the two pans that I made...(everyone loves a little raw cookie dough once in a while!)  Nick is a man of routine so I won't be surprised if I am making these "cakes" for him on his 18th birthday!!

Papa and Addison were the first to be brave with the slimy frog!

Needless to say, the snapping turtle did not get passed around!

This is about how close Chelsea got!

It's easier to blow out the candles when you aren't grinning!!!!

Slight overreaction by Mommy in this video!  Nick took it all in stride.