When I grow up…

This morning on our way home from picking up Amber from preschool, we had a great talk about what Amber and Elle wanted to be when they grow up.

• Amber wants to be a ice cream maker.
• Elle wants to be a garbage woman.

I already knew about Amber's future career plans from when she was the spotlight at her preschool on her birthday.  Elle's, on the other hand, surprised me because she has never said what she wanted to be before. Elle and Amber have always been interested in watching the garbage man every week since they were little. They would hear him coming and run to the window to watch until he was far out of sight. They will also point out garbage trucks whenever they see them around town. (Nathan will cry whenever he hears it and it is close by. I have to hold him or he just freaks out.)

It was funny because after Elle said she wanted to be a garbage man I tried to tell her that it wasn't something she really wanted to do. Amber immediately came back with, "But Mom—you always said we could be whatever we want when we grow up." So then I had to pull my foot out of my mouth and say that they indeed could be whatever they wanted to be. Even a garbage man.

I can't lie though—I really hope that they both change their minds and want to do other thing when they grow up. (Though I really don't want them to grow up, either.)

Happy 3rd Birthday Elle

I just can't believe that my sweet little girl is already three. I know that I said the same thing about Amber turning five but still it just doesn't seem right. J and I keep saying that it is so weird that she is turning three already but at the same time it is hard to believe that she is only three. She seems bigger and acts older. A lot of people are surprised that Elle is so good and can sit and listen and pay attention so well for being so young (says the proud yet bragging mama!).

She is a sweet older sister to Nathan. She is always taking care of him: bringing him his burp cloth when he gets sad or bringing him his drink when she is getting a drink for herself. She is a very caring sister. She does well being the little sister too. Amber is always being the boss and most days Elle plays along really well. She is willing to play the part of the prince so Amber can be the princess. When Amber wants to play with something Elle has she will normally give it up. Elle has always been a little snuggler and thank goodness she still is. I love it when she crawls up in my lap and just wants to sit with me or when there is a movie on and I am doing other things she will come and find me just to see me and help out if she can. We sure do love this little three year old. Happy Birthday little monkey.

Happenings

Elle has been out of a diaper (mostly) for about a month now! It has been great not having to change two little people. She hasn't had many accidents (knock on wood) and just goes when she needs too (I still ask every once in a while just to check). We are still having some trouble with going #2. I don't know what to do. I have tried bribery, common sense, training a doll, and whatever else I can think of. Does anyone have any suggestions? I would really like to have her completely potty trained.

I am so excited that spring is here! We have been spending a lot of time outside playing, going on picnics, playing at parks, going canoeing, going on walks, and feeding the ducks. All the kids want to be outside. Nathan has started finding his shoes and holding them up and whining until you put them on and take him outside. It is really going to be hard on them when it gets hot. Here are a couple of pictures of some of the things we have been up to, as well as a video from the visit to a friends farm. You can check out J's take on things here.

Love Nathan's face in this one. He wasn't feeling well and wasn't happy to be here.

Sick Nathan's only time in the canoe was when it was on the grass being cleaned out.

All 3 of them are on iPods (2 on touch's and 1 on an iPhone)

Look at these cute kids. I sure do love them.

This little piggy, nerds, and steps

So today Amber was doing 'this little piggy' to Nathan's little toes and she has a little different version than I do. It goes something like this:

Starting with big toe:
This little piggy went to market,
This little piggy stayed home,
This little piggy had pizza,
This little piggy went to primary,
and this little piggy went wee wee wee all the way home.

It cracked me up. She doesn't like roast beef so she changed it to pizza and I guess she didn't want any little piggies to have none so they got to go to primary instead.


Here is a fun video of Elle eating nerds


Nathan is starting to try and walk here and there. Here is a silly picture of him in Mr. Potato Head glasses and a video of him taking a few steps.

Happy Birthday Amber

I just can't believe that my firstborn is already five. It makes me feel old. She is growing so fast and is too smart for her own good. I swear that she is more like a 15-16 year old an a 5 year old. She keeps me on my toes, that's for sure. She really is a great helper around the house and keeps me laughing. She has a big chunk of my heart. I love you Amber. Happy Birthday, babes.

Here is a picture from every month this last year. The first is from her birthday last year and the last is from about 2 weeks ago. It is so fun to see her grow right in front of our eyes. It's amazing how much she has grown and changed in just a year. Enjoy.

Looking back

Lately I have been looking at my three little people and am almost stunned how fast they are growing. It doesn't seem at all possible that Amber is almost five. I was looking at pictures with her the other day during nap time of her when she was a newborn. Wasn't it just yesterday!? Then we looked at some of Elle as well.

Shortly after that Nathan woke up from his nap and I looked at him and couldn't believe how big he looked (probably because we had just looked at tiny baby pictures). Wasn't he supposed to be my baby still? After looking at him, he really isn't really a baby anymore, he is growing up too. It got me thinking about him as a newborn and all the months till now and how it just was all too fast.

Then I came back to the present and looked around and decided I need to stop trying to live in the past and enjoy the present. It seems like I have been spending too much time lately either thinking about the past or wishing time away. When I sat and thought about all the time during the week I am just hoping for it to be this day or this time so we can do whatever it is kinda sad. I am wishing time away and then looking back wishing I could have it back. Does that make sense? Anyway I am really going to try and work on enjoying the present and making fun memories instead of wishing time away or trying to go back in time. My kids will keep growing regardless of what frame of mind I am in. It already seems to be going too fast and so I better make the memories now so I can look back on them someday when they are all grown up and think of all the fun things we did. Here is to hoping time slows down and that I can enjoy all of it. Here are some pictures of the little people that I so love and adore.

Dress up fun

Jazz hands

Nathan hard at work

Amber and her little friend Jagger at Creative Minds

Nathan's new favorite pass time

Big girl in papa's hat

tummy craves and camera fun

This morning I walked in on Elle sitting on the bar stool grunting and growling. I couldn't see what she was doing from my angle so I ask her what she is doing. She shows me her candy that she is working very hard at getting opened, which explains all the grunting and growling. I told her that we aren't having candy right now and to put it down so we can have it after lunch. Then she tells me, "But my tummy wants this." I couldn't help myself, I busted up laughing. She didn't want it—her tummy did. I think I am going to use that excuse when I want some goodie or treat that I really shouldn't eat. I will just have to eat it because it is what my tummy wants.

If you look close you can see the corner where she was nibbling away.

Here are a couple of pictures that I took of Elle the other day because she wanted her picture taken. I didn't ask for poses this is just what she wanted to do one right after the other.

Amber has been interested in taking pictures with the camera. The other day during nap time (she doesn't nap anymore) she was taking lots and lots of pictures of anything and everything. Toward the end of her picture taking she decided to try and take some of herself. Here is what she got.

This one cracked me up.