May Round-Up

Here are a few snapshots from the month of May before, after, and around Mother's day and Memorial day weekend.

While technically not in May, I thought this was too cute not to share. Jack poses with his birthday crown from preschool. He was the "Super Star" for the day on the 29th of April.

Nothing like morning cuddle time, no one seemed to understand that we were actually trying to accomplish a few more minutes of sleep.

Meghan discovered the baby cradle and likes to curl up in it with a book. Look at that Buddha belly!

Chef Jack at the morning cafe'. This was his and Meghan's go-to game post-breakfast.

Other big news for the month was that on May 20th Clara lost her first tooth!

Partners in crime!

Jack and his buddy Orson at the park.

Carrots from the farmer's market!

Nay-nay and Pop-pop traveled down to see us the first weekend in May, but we took nary a picture during their visit. However, we did work really hard making a garden out of a plot that had been recently cleared of ivy in the front yard. Here it is flourishing several weeks later.

Swing set tricks

Where does the time go?

Memorial Day Weekend

The week prior to Memorial day weekend can be summed up by this picture, rainy/stormy necessitating boots! The reason this was a problem, other than not wanting rain to spoil our holiday weekend, was that on Friday morning we were slated to host the end-of-the-year party for Jack's preschool class in our backyard. All week as we pulled out our rain boots, I anxiously watched the weather, and each day the chance of rain for Friday decreased. We were lucky enough to get clear skies and mid-70's, the perfect weather to host an outdoor play event.

Snack time at the boys table.

And the girls. (Sorry the pictures of the kids aren't a little better; I couldn't compete with cupcakes!)

Following the end of the party at noon, we had some down time during Meghan's nap during which I packed the car so that we could pick up Clara from school and head to our next adventure, Richmond for the weekend!

Jack had another "haircut de Delshade" on Saturday after which he was treated to a donut for his excellent behavior during the trim. Lookin' good!

Then we headed over to Gramby & Su-su's who watched the kids for me while I went with Nay-nay shopping for a dress to wear to Jay's wedding. Meghan took some time to rock "Baby Annabeth".

Then Gramby and Su-su took advantage of their child-laborers and got them outside raking the lawn!

The main event of the weekend was Sunday afternoon at the Schaeffers: Hal's 1st birthday party. He turned one on the 18th of May, it's hard to believe it.

It was quite the backyard soiree complete with Slip N' Slide, John Deere tractors, scooters, and bubbles.

Jack taking a ride with the ladies blowing bubbles in the "back-back".

Meghan enjoying her green cupcake with Nay-nay and her new baby doll.

The kids, Jack in particular, had the best time playing around on the driveway. 

Bubbles!

Happy Mother's Day!

Somehow after my all-star blogging of April, I've fallen behind in May.  But at least it's only been a few weeks and not months since my last post. First up, Mother's day!

My Mother's day started early this year with a "Mother's day tea" at Jack's preschool the Wednesday before. I was a little nervous for Jack because I knew that in addition to the "tea party" in his classroom,  the children were going to be singing several songs in the church sanctuary in front of all of the mothers in attendance. While Jack is familiar with the inside of the church, I understood that he was not exactly a fan. I was really proud of how he behaved. He marched into the space with his classmates and stood up at the front with them. 

He didn't sing and kept his hands covering his ears, but in the one song he "crouched down low and stood up to grow". I have heard him singing all the songs the children performed around the house and on our walks, so maybe next year he'll decide to sing when he's a little more comfortable. Babysteps.

At the tea I received this "little red box", a shout-out to one of the songs the children sang.

I wish I had a little red box 

To put my mommy in. 

I'd take her out and go, 

Kiss, kiss, kiss, 

And put her back again.

And inside was this heart pin that Jack decorated for me.

Snacks at the park to kick start our mother's day weekend Friday afternoon. (That's right, it's Mother's day weekend, not just Mother's day!)

Saturday morning on the big girl swing. As you'll see from video footage from the weekend, Meghan's new favorite place to be is on one of the big kids swings. It seems to be working out as Jack and Clara are fighting over the baby swing. We're all about the greener grass in this family.

As promised, Sunday morning on the swings.

Not my favorite picture of myself, but I had to include a shot of me with my three babies on Mother's day morning. How lucky am I!

Very lucky as I got several cute cards from Clara for the occasion. 

Love the hand print holding the flowers.

Translation: "Happy Mother's day. You do every thing. You always clean up for me. I love you. From Clara, to Mom."

After Meghan's long nap (and mine!), we walked to the park to enjoy the beautiful weather. 

I love this dress. It was one of Clara's. Of course I was telling Meghan to smile, and she was saying, "No."

Once again with the "No", but she knows she's being a punk and sort of cracks a smile at the end of the series.

Best treat of all, dinner out at Beaseley's! It almost didn't happen, the kids actually talked us into it, and I was so glad. They behaved wonderfully, and we got to have delicious food with no cooking by me!

And as an added bonus, I officially have a child that likes fried chicken! Woohoo.

Happy (belated) Mother's day to all the mothers out there.

The Calm Between the Birthdays (April 16 - 26)

Sandwiched in between Clara's and Jack's birthday weekends were ten days recovering from one and building up toward another birthday!

Warm day wearing her first Hawaiian dress. Uncle Jack gave this to Clara for Christmas when she was 20 months old. Fits perfectly for Meghan this spring/summer!

These two are up to no good. I found them playing with the recently recovered flower balloon on my bed.

In the stroller on the way to get Clara from school. I love Meghan's sunglasses. She grabs them out of the pocket beside her seat almost every day.

In the backyard Thursday night playing, Jack and Meghan mowing the lawn.

Meghan wants to swing, but she won't smile for it.

Clara reading to the crowd. Meghan's attention span is a bit shorter, and she is off to find trouble. What you may not be able to see or realize is that from the table with the lamp, she grabs Jack's prized possession, his play-can of peas, and taunts him by shaking it and then taking off. She achieves the desired effect when he races after her, all the while Clara continues reading.

On Saturday morning Jack was having fun pretending to be a turtle.

A few other stragglers join his flock.

One of our outings for the morning was to take the kids up to the bike shop to be fitted for helmets. I'm not sure if Clara was more excited to be able to use her new scooter on the street or wear her new yellow helmet with flowers.

Meghan managed to become Mega-dirty before lunch.

Who me?

Please sir, I want some more.

A casual Sunday brunch on the patio.

Sunday afternoon we hit the elementary school playground to give Clara another opportunity to scooter around the track. We haven't been coming here all that often to play, so the little kids had a good time on the equipment. Jack surprised us with this new trick of whipping down the parallel bars.

Meghan also seems to like the new helmet design.

Back to the grind: in the stroller on Monday on the way to pick up Clara.

Fun with forward facing camera!

Spinning to Dave Matthews. Could Jack have a future in figure skating?

In honor of Earth day the kindergarteners had a parade of recycled hats. 

They were chanting Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.