Wordless(ish) Wednesday

Just wanted to share a few pictures from last weekend of the boys "playing soccer" in grandma & grandpa's big front yard. Shawn played soccer all through out childhood, so you never know- the boys might want to give it a whirl someday too.

Quinn Turns 3!

Q is officially 3 years old! This year we decided to just do fun stuff he'd like on his birthday, rather than a party. In the past few weeks whenever we'd ask Q what he wanted for his birthday he'd list the following: Balloons, Party hats, decorations, cake with candles, and presents. So I let him pick out a few decorations of his own while we were at Target one day. They were, of course, all Thomas the Train crap. As for cake, he picked out strawberry. I picked up a few things as well and we were all set.

The night before his birthday I hung up streamers, balloons and birthday signs. Shawn made a regular round cake. BUT. He made a bridge with train tracks using graham crackers, and I bought a new Thomas train that we set on top. I re-wrapped a couple presents we held back at Christmas and we were ready to go. (I don't need to disclaimer or apologize for all the crappy cell phone pictures anymore, do I? )

I spy: party hats, balloons, decorations & a present.

Birthday Sign, from his first birthday (made by Sam)

Throw a few balloons on the floor, and you're good.

He woke up on his birthday and Shawn intercepted him before he could go to the living room. Basically to give me a minute to drag my tired ass out of bed.  We walked with him down the hall and as soon as he saw the decorations, he stopped and did this thing he does when he's overly excited/overwhelmed. He smiled, hid his face in his hand and wouldn't go any further. SO cute.

Seeing his birthday sign

Seeing his Thomas Cake

He does this with his arms when he's really happy/excited

 \

Birthday donut!

So after breakfast we got the boys ready to go to WiggleWorks. Shawn had had the idea to take Q to one of those bounce house places. But I knew that Archer wasn't quite big enough to navigate around that kind of place, but would for sure want to play. Anyway, I found WiggleWorks through the Parent Map website and it looked perfect. Geared more towards younger guys with all soft play equipment ANNNND a balloon room.

In the vortex of the balloon room

I just love his face in this one

Chillin

After Wiggleworks we picked up a pizza and headed home for lunch and birthday cake.

After cake we had quite time (no nap for this boy) then played outside for awhile. Then, finally, it was present time.

Clearance Xmas themed Disney match game?!

 And I believe that was it for the day. I think it was good to just focus on him and not deal with a big party (although, I really do love having parties, so I don't know that this will be the deal every year.) He for sure had fun and it was nice to keep it low key and not spend a ton of money, ha! So, Happy Birthday Little guy! I love you so much. Even though I had to just stop writing this post to go change your disgusting diaper, only to discover you'd found a rouge crayon (for like, the 4th time in the last week) and drew all over the floor and wall. Again. And you're now sitting in time out sighing that big sigh that you do, while I try not to laugh. You're funny, silly, & sweet. You give the best hugs and smooches. I love the songs you sing, especially when you make up your own words to other tunes (Quinney the Pooh might be my favorite.) Here's to another fun year with you! (And please, go easy on us. I've heard about age three and I'm scared.)

"Camping"

Q has been pretty into the idea of camping, campfires, tents, etc. lately (thank you TV). Since we're still a ways off from being able to go camping around here (COME ON WARM WEATHER!!) we haven't been able to accommodate his desire to go. UNTIL Shawn had a bit of a genius/crazy idea. Sunday he decided we'd drive over to the Leavenworth area where we could hopefully find the sun and maybe find a little campsite and have lunch and a campfire. It stopped raining about 5-10 minutes before we hit Leavenworth, and what do you know- it was sunny! Miracle! I even took my jacket off! We decided to pull into a little park with a playground we've been to before, right as you get into town. We let the kids play and run around for awhile.

 Then we packed back in the car to head to a campground. Well, it was all closed. And there were trees down all over the place. Either there was a terrible storm, or they're taking down trees on purpose. It was a mess. And also, did I mention, closed? Well a little thing like that doesn't stop Shawn. We pulled the car over next to a spot by the road and drug our lunch supplies and such over. We spent about and hour & 1/2 having some pb&j sandwiches (Archer ate at least 1 & 1/2 by himself then just held on to one while he walked around) then roasted a couple marshmallows for a sorta smore (no choco). Q loved it, and it made me so excited to take him camping. Archer on the other hand just liked to get up on the picnic bench, then back down. Then up. Then down. Also, keeping him away from the fire (we even had the huge baby gate up around most of it) was a bit exhausting. And doing something like having a fire at a closed campground makes me all nervous and anxious. BUT, I'm glad Shawn made us do it. If it were up to me we'd never do anything fun.

I think I'm ready for camping this summer. It's going to be so much fun with the kids, if not a little stressful. But I really do love camping so I'm very excited. Anyone else love camping?

Around Here

A lot going on. And also, not much going on. You know what I mean?

First of all Q's 3rd birthday is in like, a week. I feel like I spend a lot of time on this blog freaking out about my babies growing up too fast and all that so I'm going to try not to do that. Instead I'm just going to try and enjoy my crazy almost-3yr-old. This kid. He's just so dang awesome. You know, when he's not making me want to rip my hair out. The things he says... just astound me sometimes. I keep trying to take note of all the funny little things he says, but I can't keep up. And sometimes it's more of the tone or way he says something that catches me off guard. There's no way to put in words how cute it is when he says "I yove you too mommy" It's just... perfect. Last night he'd woken up because his foot was bothering him. He was hysterical, as is the way it goes a little too often at night these days. So I carried him out to the couch and laid him down with his blue baby & blue blanket. I got him some "purple medicine" and a "purple drink" (water with grape flavor) and laid down with him. He'd calmed down and was just laying quietly. I said "you're so handsome, aren't you?" and he said quietly "yeah" and I said "and so smart!" and he replied "yeah" again. And then continued to agree with all my praises .. "and funny... silly... such a good big brother" Just makes me want to squeeze the heck out of him.

So after I recover from my baby turning 3, I'll be embarrassing myself at yet another blogger meet up! Yea! This time it's in Seattle though, so at least it's close-ish to home. I'm excited/nervous, per usual.

Then in May I'll be joining the Bloggers for Babies team for the March of Dimes! I've been wanting to join the last couple of years but haven't been able to. I'm very excited to be raising money for babies! Trying to decide how to bring my babies with me. Pretty sure I can't convince Q to ride in a stroller, so I'll probably just make Archer suffer through ; )  Oh and hey- You got a few bucks? Head on over. I've set a modest-ish goal. But the team goal is $5000 and we have a ways to go.

How about we end with a sweet picture? Mr Q feel asleep on the couch after dinner a few weeks ago, which NEVER happens. So sweet.

Wordless{ish} Wednesday: Children's Museum

So one of my main goals this year with our Tax Return was to get a family pass to our local Children's Museum. It's tough trying to think of things to do with the kids on the weekends when it's rainy and yucky out, which in the PNW is all the time. So I thought this would be a good solution. We went on Sunday and the kids had a ball. Archer just throws himself into any situation like a mad thing, ready to have fun. Also, it turns out he really like hats. Every display that had a helmet or hat of some kind he was just really into. Q spent this first half hour at the train tracks. Then it was just swarmed by other kids who kept taking his trains, and I decided it best to move on to try and avoid continual meltdowns (In all fairness the "taking" would happen when he'd push the train out of his own reach, and would be trying to crawl to the other side to retrieve it. Still. Don't take my baby's trains! Haha)

Anyway, they had a ton of fun, demonstrated by the big ass meltdown Q had when it was time to go. (PS 3 is just going to be SO much fun.)

Yap, Yap, Yap. Here are some pictures.

I'm still alive!

Keeping up with blogging is, like, hard. You know, because of reasons.

Here's something I never blogged about, from NOVEMBER! We had pictures taken with Kipper Photography when she was doing some mini sessions. I can't even tell you how excited I was. These marked the first time all four of us were in a picture together. It's just craziness it took almost a year after Archer was born for that to happen. And crazy it took me so long to get them up to share!

I mean. Come. On.

I'd like to explain what's happening with my hair, but I just don't know.

Oh, that's just Q being THE MOST ADORABLE BOY EVER!

A little distance helps not see the doofy face I'm making

I don't know what I'm doing with my tongue. I mean, really. What's my problem. Still, this is kinda the winner anyway.

It was a cold, rainy day. The little guys were all red faced and I was grumpy. But I am just so, so happy to have these pictures. Care is so great, and I really hope I can have her take some pictures of us again in the future. (And hopefully she won't have to spend the whole day in the rain!)

I leave you with one last picture:

Brother

"I found my brother in there
Here in my heart
I found my brother in there
Hold in my arms
I love you

And if I feel too quiet now
There are no words to show you how
I love you

I often feel like the prodigal son
Take all I need
Giving back none
Our beauty shows
In such different ways
You're like the light behind the fog
so soft but still you burn my eyes away

I found my brother in there
Here in my heart
I found my brother in there
Hold in my arms
I love you

And if I feel too quiet now
There are no words to show you how
I love you

So much has changed
So much has happened these years
Still I find, you're waiting here
We have a bond
That nothing can change
Still I find a piece of mind
Whenever I hear your name
And if I feel too quiet now
There are no words to show you how
I love you"

This song by Toad the Wet Sprocket (pretty much my favorite band) has never been a favorite of mine. I've always liked it ok, and thought it was sweet. It just never struck me they way other songs did. Then all of a sudden one day it came on my ipod and I thought "Holy crap do I love this song!" Why? Oh, yeah because I have two little boys now. And honestly one of my biggest hopes for them is to be close. Not just brothers, but friends. So now when I hear this song, it gets me a little teary and I imagine my boys as grown men. And I cross my fingers tight and hope they can feel like this about each other as they grow up. Cross your fingers with me, okay?

Wordless{ish} Wednesday: Happy Halloweenie!

I love Halloween. And I love that Q is now old enough to enjoy it. He's been trick or treating for weeks (walking around the house with his pumpkin bucket and putting toys in it, and calling them treats.) He's stoked to wear his dinosaur costume too! I think the actual trick or treat festivities tonight might just blow his 2 year old mind. 

Here's a little Halloween flashback:

2010: Q's first Halloween and a failed attempt to make him Shrek

2010: Trip to Dada's work, and a little mustache (I missed the application of that and apparently it was quite an ordeal)

2010: Dragon it is

2010: Trying to eat the pumpkins (They're better as pie kid!)

2011: Barely made it home in time to get this guy to the mall to check out the other kids. Cutest Skelington ever? Yes, yes he is.

2011: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA We bought this the year before hoping it would fit the next Halloween. It did not and he FREAKED out when I tried to put the hat and beard on him. HAHAHAHAHAHA

 2012: Hoping I get a good picture of this tonight! Riding a dinosaur costume!

2012: Q picked out a Chicken costume for Archer. This will probably not be happening tonight.Could barely get him in this and he refused the hat part. So he'll be revising Q's dragon from 2 years ago Probably

Whew! Lot of pictures, but I was just so excited to be able to post some today! (Let's hear it for Vacation Days and Starbucks wifi!) Hope you all have a fantastic Halloween! Have fun and stay safe!

Linking up with The Paper Mama!