Home Grown

With spring fully upon us we took to planting this years garden. We keep it small, as it is the boys project and so we plant in pots on the deck. This way they can easily water and care for the plants on their own. Also, last year, the animals stayed away from the plants due to them being so close to the house.
This year we are growing two types of tomato, cucumber, zucchini and watermelon. Chase begged to try watermelon so fingers crossed we don't have any issues with that plant. Last year we did really well with tomatoes so I'm hoping we have the same success this year. I love being able to go and pick veggies and put them right onto our plates, plus its a great lesson for the boys.

Hayley Ann Mae: Four Months

How fast the months go by when watching a baby grow! Our little girl is eager to big just like her brothers, I on the other hand want to keep her this age forever. During her first month our pediatrician called her an over-achiever during a weight check and I think that is Hayley, an over achiever. She scoots herself along her blanket by pushing off with her feet, tries to get into sitting position, all at 4 months old.
She is still the happiest little baby around and we all love her dearly!!!

Stats: At her checkup Hayley weighed 15lbs 6oz (72nd percentile) and is 24.5 inches long (48th percentile). Doctor said she looks great and has been given the all clear for food whenever we want to start.

Sleep: Still sleeping through the night, hopefully I don't jinx myself by saying that. She goes to bed around 7:30pm and wakes up around 7:30am. 3 to 4 naps a day is her current schedule. Hayley will put herself to sleep at nap time but bedtime she still requires the same little spot on my shoulder to fall asleep, and I don't mind one bit. It's going to be hard giving up rocking her to sleep seeing she is the last baby I will get to do this with.

Social: She is becoming very interactive and will flash anyone who looks her way a smile. When the boys have friends over she is fascinated by watching them all play and lights up when they show her attention.

Diet: Nothing much has changed with her diet, she is still on 6oz every 3 to 4 hours.

Skills/Milestones: Hayley has started bearing weight on her legs and gets so excited to be standing on your lap. She has also started using the exersaucer and can play with a few of the toys on it. Hands down her favorite new toys though are her feet. Any chance she has to grab them, she takes it, diaper changes have become interesting because of this new found interest. She desperately wants to be in sitting position at all times and so if she is lying back on an incline, she will do crunches to pull herself up...growing too fast this girl!

Favorites: Mummy, Daddy, Chase, Asher, looooves music and being sung to, enjoys bath time, her dolly, being outside, her cheeks being kissed.

Mothers Day 2017

Plain & simple I was spoiled rotten this mothers day, not just mothers day, but the entire mothers day weekend!

I slept in on Saturday, not making it downstairs until 10:45am. It was glorious! I don't think I've slept that late since before I was pregnant with Chase and I used to stay up into the week hours. The good ole days! Sunday we went to church, where the boys made the cutest cards with their little fingerprints splattered all over them! I'm such a sucker for the homemade gifts. The rest of day was spent at Winterthur with Dad, Jen and Naomi. We explored the gardens, ate a picnic and James even bought us a membership as we loved it so much. I was given flowers, treated to dinner at the Yardhouse and heard the boys answers to questions about Mummy; apparently I love the prettiest with curly hair and wearing it down, if Chase could go anywhere with me it would be Chili's (lol), my favorite color is pink, my favorite food is popcorn and if I could do anything with my day it would be to play with them. I think every mother's day I'm going to ask them the same questions.

At one point in the day, Chase came and hugged me ever so tight and said, "is this what I'm supposed to do on mothers day?" He is such a mamas boy and I wont lie, I absolutely love it. Being a Mum can be exhausting, it can sometimes make me think I should go back to work, it can leave you feeling like you accomplished nothing that particular day, but it is hands down the most rewarding thing I have ever done, and ever will do. Carrying these 3 babies for 9 months and raising them into kind, loving and decent human beings is nothing I take for granted. Yes, mothers day is all about celebrating what we do as mothers, the long hours we put in, being thanked for putting them before ourselves but I couldn't imagine it being any other way. Being their Mum is a gift in its self. Though I wont ever say no to having an excuse to sleep in. ;)

Visitors for Hayley

Back in March, Mum & Paul came over to visit and to meet Hayley! They stayed for 2 weeks ( the past 2 times they have only stayed one week), and the extra were really is the best.
We didn't go away while they were here, with Hayley being only 2 months but we did day trips, ate lots of yummy food, relaxed and had a great time together.
I love that the boys don't forget who they are, even though its normally one full year between visits with them. They were beyond excited about the Kinder Eggs that came in Grandma & Grandad's suitcase, though not quite as excited as they were about Grandma & Grandad being here ;)
Mum & Paul were HUGE help, not only did Paul bring my design or built in shelves to fruition, with the help of David, but every night while James and I put the kids to bed, they would wash the dishes and bottles, fold laundry, and pick up the house. We were ever so grateful to actually sit down and relax in the evening.
We were all sad to see them go and can't wait to go visit them next year!

We took a trip to the Hot Wheels Exhibit at the Reading Public Museum

 

 

 We built bears!

 

 

 We visited Longwood Gardens

 



 Walked around Hopewell Furnace

 

 Took the boys bowling for the first time

Asher James: 2.5 Years Old

We have seen such a big change in Asher the past few months, probably because he isn't the baby of the family anymore, but he has matured so much and has really been such a delight.
Our Asher, munchkin or monkey as he is also known is quite the handful. He and Chase are like night and day, it's something to see their little personalities develop and how they differ so much. Asher is as stubborn as they come but will give you his last piece of candy without hesitation, literally. He puts our patience to the test in every way, but will ask to snuggle in the next breath, and how can you refuse that? He is loud, yet sensitive, never walks, just runs and jumps; but loves to sit in your lap and read books. He is ever the entertainer but is just as smart as Chase.
He has taken on the role of big brother so well. He completely adores Hayley, is always giving her kisses and will lay on the floor and just be with her. He always has to be holding her hand and right in her face. She absolutely loves her Ashie and lights up whenever he is around.
Our lives would be so, so dull without Asher. Even though he isn't the youngest child anymore, he will always be my baby boy.

Stats: No official weigh in, but at a sick visit he was 31lbs. Yup, he is officially heavier than Chase. I knew one day that would happen and it's arrived. Chase however does have a few inches on him height wise.

Sleep: I'm so thankful none of my kids are early risers and that they love their sleep. He goes down to bed at the same time as Chase, around 7/8pm and will sleep 12 hours on average. Some days he takes a nap and others he marches on through the day and crashed as soon as his head hits his pillow. He is still in his crib as I didn't want to change his routine at the same time as bringing home a newborn.

Social: This is one area that he has developed so much that makes him seem so much older now. He joined the Mommy and Me class in the fall and has done really well with it. I think he is going to love going to preschool in the fall, especially since he knows the teachers with taking Chase for the past 2 years. He loves getting together with his friends, Sawyer, Silas, Cole, Noah, Lucas and Gabe and his best girls, Olivia, Madison and Isabelle.
This Spring he started playing soccer in the same league as Chase. They are on different team though because of the age difference. Asher is a natural athlete and after 5 games and practices he is doing really well.

Diet: I'm not sure what's going on recently but Asher has been trying new foods and has been giving us an easier time about eating in general. He loves zucchini now and likes to eat lettuce, still no tomatoes though. I'm hoping he will want to eat them once he sees the fruit of his labor; he has been growing tomato plants from seed. His favorites foods right now are spaghetti, pb&j, fish sticks, avocado on toast, any fruit, chick fil-a nuggets and sticky rice. Oh and treats, this kid would live on candy, much to his disappointment I don't allow that.

Skills/Milestones: Most people associate Asher with all things physical and being a jokester, which he most certainly is, but if you get him one on one, he is a smart little cookie. He can count to 20 and recognize numbers 1 to 10. He knows his whole alphabet, can recognize his name, can color in the lines and memorizes lyrics to songs like I've never seen from a 2 year old before.

Back in the fall he started using the potty but then with the craziness of the holidays and Hayley arriving, any kind of formal potty training took a back seat. However, over the past month we have ran with it and he is doing really well. If we are home he wears underwear and most days will go without an accident. If we are out and about he will wear a pull up but will ask to use the potty etc.

He also started pedaling a bike, I think I know what Santa will be bringing this year ;)

 

Favorites: Mummy, Daddy, Chase, Hayley, grandparents, Lightning McQueen, Minions, sports, Hot Wheel cars, dressing up, music.

Road to the Races

If anyone knows my boys, they know that Lightning McQueen is everything to them. We have just about every Lightning McQueen available; regular Lightning, shiny Lightning, snowy Lightning, color changing Lightning, you get the pictures as the list goes on and on. One of the 20 Lightning McQueen's goes wherever we go., so not only do I have 3 kids to keep track of but their beloved cars also, it's quite stressful let me tell ya ;)

The new Cars movie is coming out soon, the boys have been watching the preview since December! To get people excited about the release, Lightning McQueen, Jackson Storm and Cruz Ramirez are touring the country. When I heard they were coming to our area I knew we HAD to go! We didn't tell the boys where we were going until about 10 minutes before we arrived at the Mack Yard, where the event was being held. When the boys are really excited they get a bit overwhelmed and get very quiet and really serious. Once we had met the Cars3 characters we asked the boys if they liked it and they said they loved it! Chase asked, "Mummy how did you know we should go to this?" Because little boy, us parents will do whatever it takes to make you happy, provide you with the best memories and make all of your dreams come true, big or small!

Now I need to start planning a trip out to Radiator Springs in Disneyland!!