Dance class...Icky Pickles...Fever...Check Ups

All sorts of stuff have been going on lately.  Holiday's dance class had their first combined classes gig.  So they take turns doing their dance numbers and get used to the idea that other kids dance too.  They've been practicing the last couple of weeks with shades over the mirrors to get the kids aware that they won't be looking at themselves when they dance in the recital.  This week they will be getting their costumes for the recital.  We pretty much had a normal weekend, the kids played outside, got some yard work done and did our regular chores.  Holiday has a Winnie-the-Pooh garden wagon with play flowers and vegetables that apparently some slugs had their babies in.  They were tiny and green so Holiday called them, "Icky Pickles."  They probably were pretty icky.  Then Monday Johnny woke up with a fever and threw up.  I stayed home with him the last two days because of the fever.  The Tylenol at least kept bringing him back down to normal.  He went to daycare today, he's not 100% yet but the fever is gone as long you don't let him cry too long.  He's still full of snot so he's a little grumpy.  We were able to keep the kids' doctor's appointments because his fever was down then.  On his way to pick us up David had dropped his cell phone on the floor in the car, so he told Holiday that he was going to wait till he stopped to pick it up so he doesn't have an accident.  Holiday responded with telling him that's a good idea because he shouldn't 'peep' on the phone.  LOL So aside from the bug, both of them are doing great.  They're normally proportionate although our kids tend be a little on the bobble head side.  Holiday is on track with her potty training. Both of them are really smart too.  We went over all that with the doctor and she was impressed with Holiday's communication skills and Johnny's brute strength.  He was moving the furniture around in the exam room.  But he's beginning to understand that things have a place and he mimics motions more.  He's getting into shape sorter toys and likes to put toys away and the lids back on.  Then they got their shots, Johnny had 4 and Holiday had 3.  That was rough.  The ice cream seemed to make up for it though.  The doctor warned us that it might be a rough night with Johnny and it was.  I got zero sleep that night which is why instead of alternating sick days with David I stayed home two days in a row.  Whew!  I hope he gets better soon.  He sure is fighting it, he still wants to climb all over everything.

Stand up and clap!

Daddy taught Johnny how to clap his hands this weekend.  That and high fives (and tens).  So now that's just the thing to do.  Holiday is enjoying Johnny's newly learnt skills as well.  We got a new slide that we can fold away out of sight for the kids and they LOVE it.  Johnny can climb all the way up on his own, he does need a spotter if he decides he wants to climb back down.  He's getting used to the sliding part.  David did a bunch of yard work this weekend and took down the rest of the over grown bushes.  It'll take a couple loads to cart it away.  Since it's been a year since he started working on the bushes they needed to be trimmed again but he did all the sides in one pass instead of several weeks which was the desired result.  He even trimmed up the Camilla in the front which was slowly encroaching on our front steps.  Then he did the weed wacking and mowing of the lawn like usual.  But that was a lot of work so the yard looks really good.  The weeds in the back yard are fairly under control and the seeds/seedlings are doing well for the most part.  Now the need has shifted to the front yard to do some pruning and weeding which is harder to get to since all the outside toys are better played with in the back yard so Holiday can hang out with me while I'm working.  Maybe I can get her to play with the sidewalk chalk so I can get to weeding in the front.  We went to Peyton's birthday party yesterday (little girl from Holiday's dance class), it was at the Bullwinkle's Fun Plex in Tukwila.  Holiday liked the bumper boats the best.  She also liked winning tickets from playing games and getting a prize for it.  We'll keep that place in mind for future birthdays.  We played in the back yard a little when we got home and while Johnny was in the middle of the grass he stood up all on his own.  We in turn all clapped including Johnny, then Holiday charged Johnny and gave him a great big hug for it.  He did it several times (yes with clapping), he even took a couple tiny baby steps.  I'm counting it.

Mother's Day and other stuff

So for Mother's Day we went out for sushi and it was fun.  We just packed lunches for the kids and they enjoyed watching the food roll by on the conveyor belt.  Then I got some movies and a handprint project that David helped the kids make for me.  It was a very good day.  Johnny seems to be catching on with the sippy cups of milk thing, which is great.  Previous to weaning beginning I did 3 pumpings a day while at work, so now I'm doing 2 a day.  I'll have to space them out so I don't get too heavy or it'll hurt.  Johnny has become a little climber of furniture lately.  He really likes climbing on Holly's upholstered chair, but then he'll fall down and be really unhappy.  Hopefully he figures out balance soon. He has figured out waving and peek-a-boo and does that a lot.  Johnny is cruising with more confidence but no real walking yet.  I think Holly was about 15-16 months when she did.  Holiday's dance class is gearing up for the end of the year dance recital so everybody's excited.  They still have about 6 weeks to go, so it's all about practice right now.

Birthday party pictures

I got the xylophone cake idea off of Pinterest.  Johnny loves that toy.

I baked the cakes myself (box for the chocolate/scratch for the banana), used regular tub frosting, then decorated with pre-colored fondant.  It's way easier to work with if you don't have to dye it, just roll it out and cut it to size...easy squeezy.  It's edible though I don't recommend chowing down on it, it's basically sugarpaste and that doesn't have much flavor, it's just pretty.  But if you eat it along with the cake it tastes like it belongs there.

I just love all the colors.

Grandma Claudia with Johnny.

Mommy and Johnny with birthday hats.

There's Uncle Drew too.

Playing with new toys wearing a new 'baseball' cap.

Eating some fine banana birthday cake.  He's not really a messy eater...just droolie.

Grandma and Grandpa.

And there's Uncle Nate.

So we've starting Johnny on cow's milk in a sippy cup this week.  He seems to like it well enough and hasn't displayed any sign of allergy.  He's been coveting those sippy cups for a long time now so now that he GETS to have them he's pretty happy about it and seems to know how they're supposed to work.  So next week I'll cut out one of my work hours pumping and have our daycare start giving him more milk.  Now that he's  one year old we'll let have him a lot more of the foods we've been holding back on.  We probably hold back than most people just because David and I have had such a terrible time with allergies that we really work the preventative angle for our kids.  Now Johnny can have most things, we'll just hold back on peanuts till he's closer to 2 years old.  David noticed that one of his first year molars is breaking through.  He could probably handle chewier food now, he's been mostly on baby food and cheerios.

Happy 1st Birthday Johnny!

Mommy and Johnny hanging out at Grandma Linda's house.

Grandma Linda and Johnny.

Kisses...

Bath time at the hotel in Weed, CA.  Johnny looks like the Gerber baby.

Holiday rocking out.

Rocking out here...

...rocking out there.

Johnny ready for Holiday's birthday party to begin.

There's the birthday girl.

Here's a shot of the room and all the goodies.

Grandma and Grandpa and cousin Ayden.

Holiday with her friends from daycare.

This is how Holiday sleeps...with all her favorite things and lots of blankies.  The one she's wrapped up in there, is a blanket that I had at her age that one of my grandmas made for me.  It's incredibly comfortable.

Releve'...here's Holiday in her new birthday swimsuit.  She really, really likes it.

This weekend we had a small birthday party for Johnny with Grandma and Grandpa and the Prestons.  Johnny got a lot of cool toys and more summer clothes (which he really needed).  The weather was nice this weekend so we played in the back yard quite a bit.  Johnny likes sitting in the sand box and drumming shovels on buckets.  Since weather and traffic were in our favor we got my Mother's Day present early, which was a new rose bush that I planted in the back yard.  It's called 'Out of the Blue' which blooms blueish to magenta colored blossoms.  I need to finish planting my seeds by this weekend.  I have started quite a bit in my green house and I think that the zucchini is ready to be transplanted to its permanent location and the basil is doing really good too.  The romaine is under way but not nearly big enough.  I'm just starting to see celery and peppers going.  It's all an experiment, some seeds move quicker than others.  I still have a lot of weeding to do but I have enough done that I can at least plant my seeds.  And in other good news, I got a call yesterday that space just became available for Holiday to attend preschool in the fall at the place we wanted.  It's right by David's work so it's nice and close and we really like the place.

More Pictures!

Johnny and Holiday.

Johnny, Holiday and Mommy reading a bedtime story.

Holiday's babies all tucked in for a sleep over.

Holiday in her room.

The kids at our hotel room in Wasco, CA.

Daddy's all wiped out.

The kids and Daddy at a park in Wasco.

Holiday on the zip line.

Daddy are you going for it?

Yes you are.

Johnny napping on Mommy next to Grandma Linda.

Holiday all snuggled in at Grandma's house.

Johnny in our hotel room.

Where's your feet?

Holiday playing with Easter stuff at Grandma's house.

Johnny snacking on some Cheerios.