We’re still getting over sickness so the past two days have been pretty low key. Yesterday Marc had knee surgery (again), so we spent most of our day making things for him. The kids colored cards, we made some amazing chocolate chunk cookies and I sewed him two corn cold pack bags for his swelling. Then we met up with DJ over at Marc and Josh’s apartment and gave him his bag of get well wishes. I was stressing the whole time that the kids would jump or run into Marc, forgetting he had a big oowie. I think his knee was still a bit numb though, so the couple times Austin bumped him he didn’t seem to mind. Yikes.
Ethan helped me with the cold pack bags and it was so fun to spend that one-on-one time with him. Addison was watching a movie upstairs (which Ethan for some reason wasn’t interested in) and Austin was sleeping. So Ethan just shadowed me as went back and forth between the kitchen and sewing room. He would take the pins out of the pin cushion and hand them to me and then put them back again as I was sewing. Then he held the bags open as I poured the corn in. He was loving every minute of it. And so was I. They are just so sweet when you get them on their own like that. Makes me a little sad it can’t always be that way.
Today we opted not to go swimming because of continued congestion, so I spent a lot of the day working on the swimming party room redesign and the kids did lots of make believe playing, puzzles and art projects. They actually had a really good day today, with minimal fighting and meltdowns. It was a rare treat. Addison came up to me at one point and had on: two princess crowns, a sleeping beauty dress up dress, an animal print vest, a pink feather scarf, and pink dress up shoes. And she was standing there asking me to help her put on a purple tu-tu skirt over the top of it all. I wish I had gotten a picture. SUCH a girl and so so cute.
Austin didn’t nap very well, but wasn’t his typical super crank because of it. Actually, he was an angel boy today. He suddenly got very loving and began giving me spontaneous hugs throughout the day. These were different than his normal snuggles. He actually wrapped his arms around my neck and would make snuggling sounds while doing. The little noises that I normally make to him when I hug him, he was now giving back to me in spades. It’s like he figured out how to give proper hugs and couldn’t get enough of them. He was playing with play dough at the island counter and I was behind him on my computer and every few minutes he’d stop playing and turn around and reach for me to give me a hug and loving sounds. At one point I told him I loved him and he attempted to say I love you. He really doesn’t talk much at all still, but he got the “la” sound out and attempted a “u” sound. I about cried. There were lots of “I want to stop time right now and never leave this moment” moments today. He was just beyond sweet. I don’t know what I did to deserve such a wonderful and special boy. Oh how I love him! He just melts my heart.
And here are a bunch of pictures that are totally random and from the past few weeks. I just haven’t had a chance to post them individually, so they get to all be bundled together.

Daddy let them all eat snack on the floor this day. Something Mommy never does, so they were happy. And please remember we’re all sick, that’s why Addison’s hair is a mess, Ethan has only one sock on and Austin has mismatched clothes and the vacant expression.



This was about a month ago when we had some sunshine on a Saturday and decided to go to a park. DJ stuck Ethan up in the tree (when I was off somewhere else, obviously) and decided it was safe to leave him there while taking pictures. Huh.

These pictures require a bit of explanation…
DJ surprised me last month with a one night getaway for our 12 year anniversary. We left on Saturday afternoon and went to a movie and did some shopping and then went out to eat in Snoqualmie, where we then stayed the night at the Salish Lodge. The next morning we had a 5 course breakfast at the hotel and then got massages at their spa. It was a wonderful, far too short, trip. We needed a break from the kids! And my parents graciously came over to watch the kids for us. The kids had such a great time with their grandparents that they didn’t even ask about us the whole time we were gone. Who can blame them, when they do fun things like finger painting (the picture of Addison and my Mom above) and build giant obstacle courses in the living and dining room.
So the picture of Ethan is when we got home from our trip and I took one look at him and said “what in the world are you wearing?!” He had on one of Austin’s 12 month shirts. It had accidentally been hung up in Ethan’s closet and my Mom just happened to chose that shirt the one morning she dressed them. She said she wondered why it was so tight. I couldn’t stop laughing and I’m laughing about it again right now. Poor kid, we about took his head off trying to get the thing off . I think it’s hilarious that he could even wear it. A picture was an absolute must.
Anyway, thank you to DJ for a wonderful anniversary and thank you to Mom and Dad for making it possible. Here’s to another year!
I was trying to get a picture of Addison wearing this skirt I made here but I’m a terrible photographer, plus she wasn’t in a cooperating mood. Hey, you can almost see my new carpet underneath the mess of toys here!
How about THIS face?! This is the exact face he makes each and every time you get the camera out and point it at him. The only way to avoid this face is to sneakily snap a picture when he’s not paying attention. I love the long stream of drool that is perfectly dangling there for the photo. At least the drool cooperated.
She doesn’t have as much garb on in this photo as she did today, but you get the idea. Who doesn’t love PJ day and princess dress up all at the same time?

Austin having big boy moments. (NO, STOP GROWING UP!!!!) Sitting and reading in the chair all by his lonesome and having his first snack in E&A’s highchair at the big table. What a cute boy he is.
And lastly, a tribute to the daily battle I fight with Austin in regards to CLIMBING. This boy climbs anything and everything. So I usually put all the kitchen chairs, E&A’s high chairs, my computer desk chair AND the barstools into the pantry. So what does Austin do to retaliate? He gets HIS high chair and slides it to the nearest counter of interest and climbs up and over the tray and perches himself very unstably on the tray. I can tell him NO and put him back onto the floor a million times and he just gets right back up.
I’ve run out of room in my pantry, so what’s a Mom to do???
Take pictures, of course.


