Spring Crafts

The boys and I have been keeping busy despite the rainy spring we've been having. Earlier this week we revisited a craft from last year and made caterpillars out of egg cartons. The boys both love painting so this one was a big hit.

For my spring craft, I made Easter baskets for all the kids and teachers in Colin's preschool class. The design and supplies were courtesy of Nana (thank you, Nana!). Now that they're done though, I don't think I have any more good reasons to put off doing my spring cleaning....

Egg Hunt

Last weekend, I took Colin to an egg hunt at the home of one of the families in the Toledo Parent's Group. It was a little windy, but the rain stopped and the sun was out for all the fun outdoor activites. There were tons of eggs for the kids to find so everybody got a chance to fill their baskets. Colin was cracking me up because he shook every egg he found but if it didn't make a sound, he'd put it back. I kept trying to tell him that the eggs might still have a surprise inside even if they didn't make a sound (which they did), but he was convinced he only wanted eggs that rattled. He still found a ton and was quite pleased with his loot. In addition to the egg hunt there was a balance an egg on a spoon race, bubbles, tons of space to run around in, and of course, snack. I think it was good practice for the egg hunts he'll partake in this weekend.

Cousin Love

Two weekends ago (yes, I know I'm catching up again) my brother and his family came to visit us. It was so nice getting a chance to catch with them - we hadn't seen them since Christmas! Plus the kids had such a great time playing with each other. Oh how I wish we didn't live so far away from each other.

Eli's 2nd Birthday

Our little Eli is 2! We started off his day by meeting some friends at Imagination Station. We finally bit the bullet and bought a membership (1/2 price through Groupon!). Eli had a blast dressing up as a firefighter and pretending to drive the fire engine and ambulance. He also really enjoyed the water tables and in his exuberance got completely soaked. Maybe short-sleeved shirts would be a better choice for our next visit. 

After exploring we had lunch and cupcakes then headed home for a nap.

After his nap, Grammy and Poppy came over to visit, have dinner, and enjoy a second round of cupcakes with us. Eli was hilarious opening his gifts - he got so excited and kept yelling "presents!". He certainly didn't need any help or coaxing from us to open all of them.

I'd say overall he had a great day!

At 2, Eli is very expressive with his feelings. He's usually a very happy kid who's independent and self-entertaining. However, if someone or something upsets him, he let's everyone within earshot know about it. Unlike Colin, this kid throws real temper tantrums during which he throws himself down on the floor. Thankfully he is usually easily calmed or placated and back on to being happy again. He loves music and has some pretty sweet dance moves. One of his favorite new toys is a microphone. He loves to sing Bieber songs while dancing around the living room or on his "stage" (the fireplace). He also loves to dress up. He especially loves hats and eyewear. Eli is a mover and a climber and seems to have no fear when chasing after his big brother. Which leads me to his 3rd favorite activity - following Colin around and doing whatever he does. Eli's also a big talker and often repeats everything Colin says. Even when they're being naughty I find it quite comical. Eli is a picky eater, but you wouldn't know it by looking at him. His favorite foods are still cheese and milk but he's starting to experiment with more tastes and textures.

Happy Birthday to our spirited 2-year old. We love you, Eli!

Happy Birthday Chris!

We celebrated Chris' birthday on Sunday. It was a relaxing and gorgeous day. We enjoyed playing outside with the kids, going to the park, and busting out the grill for the first time this year. Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband and best friend!

An Attempt to Catch Up

I have fallen woefully behind on my blog updates. I mean, I completely skipped blogging about our awesome trip to Florida - I got some great shots and we had so much fun. But that's all I'm gonna say about that because I've decided I just need to move on. So here's a quick overview of the last few weeks.

Colin celebrated his birthday at school and decorated a birthday banner that is all about him at 4. Chris helped him fill it out because, let's be honest, his handwriting is way better than mine.

For St. Patrick's Day we dressed in green and went to a TPG party. The boys had a great time running around with all the other boys like a pack of wild dogs. Before we left, I made them do a craft since I volunteered to cut out a gazillion clovers and strips of green tissue paper. Good times!

Since winter has returned, I brought up our easel and had the boys paint one afternoon. I actually think it's the first time I've let Eli paint (he has a tendency to make a break for the carpet or walls with markers so paint has freaked me out). The boys *loved* it.

Eli has been experimenting with new hairstyles.

Colin's class painted animals inspired by the book "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?", by Eric Carle. They were then put on display at the Way Public Library in Perrysburg. He was very proud of his frog which he painted blue (his favorite color). I was impressed that his animal was the only one with eyes. Way to be anatomically correct (kinda)!

Hoping to keep up with the blog a little better so I can avoid another recap post. :)

Colin is 4!

On Saturday, we celebrated our sweet boy's 4th birthday. He got to spend the entire day in his jammies. We took him to his first movie at the theater - Tangled at the Maumee Indoor Theater. He had a blast! Despite claiming that the movie was a little scary, he's looking forward to his next opportunity to go the theater. Grammy and Poppy watched Eli while we took Colin out and then we enjoyed dinner, cake, and ice cream with them. It was just right for Colin.

At 4, Colin is very creative and talkative (at home at least). He loves to play intricate make-believe games and is getting very into playing with action figures. His favorite toys include everything Toy Story, super heroes and pirates. He loves to read and really enjoys his Leapfrog Tag books. One of his favorite outings is going to the library to pick out new books. He also loves to watch TV and movies, but is really looking forward to warmer weather so he can ride his bike and play more outside. He's not as keen on coloring or drawing, but enjoys craft projects that involve painting, cutting, gluing, or stickers. He is a fantastic big brother and plays really well with Eli, most of the time. He hasn't enjoyed any extra-curricular classes I've put him in, but he loves school. He loves his friends and asks everyday for me to set up more playdates.

It's really fun to watch him grow into his own person more and more everyday. Although, sometimes the process can be frustrating to us - he can be very argumentative and is always negotiating. Thankfully he's also a huge helper and out of the blue will just tell us how much he loves us. He truly is such a sweet boy and we love him so much. Happy Birthday big guy!