Updates

Dear Lily and Rio,
It is becoming increasingly difficult to take time out to document your lives on this blog.  I am no longer going to do monthly updates but I will try to post pictures of our activities and will write something from time to time.

A note to Rio:
My little baby boy is growing fast.  I want to capture who you are at this moment as a 2 year old child in writing, but every attempt I make seems to miss the mark.  First of all, you are very sweet (especially to me).  You demand to snuggle with me everyday except you say "nuggle." Now we all say "nuggle."  You will come find me and say "mommy nuggle couch sit" or "nuggle me!"  I can't turn down a request to nuggle.  You are extremely affectionate towards me.  I get showered with kisses and squeezed like a bear many times each day.  You are not as sweet and affectionate to your sister but you are very good at hugging her after you hit her on the head.  You two fight over toys sometimes but over all you are very protective of your sister (and she is protective of you).  You have to know where she is at all times (you say "where ih-ee's?).

Here are your current interests: robots, baseball, anything to do with a ball, star wars, light sabers, legos, airplanes, and cars.  Those are your favorite things but you also are known to play with your doctor kit, train table, coloring, mr. potato head, and play doh.  Anything that is long and skinny is a light saber in your eyes.  You have started to do a lot of pretend play.  You and Lily will act out stories (she is often a princess and you are a robot or star wars character).  You play so well together.

You like music and are almost always singing a song.  You don't dance much but you really enjoy singing.  You know all your colors and shapes.  You know your ABCs.  You can even point out a few letters.  You can point out on a map where you live vs. where you were born vs. were mommy and daddy were born.

You are a silly little guy that makes everyone of us laugh every day.  I love watching you grow!

A note to Lily:
So far, in your four years of life, you know what you like and what you don't like.  I love that you don't get distracted by other people.  You are who you are and you own every bit of it.  You have been going to many birthday parties for kids in your class.  I watch as entire groups of girls will follow one or two other girls around. You generally don't want any part of that.  You know what interests you and you follow that.  Often times other girls will become interested in the activity you created on your own and want to join.  You continue to come up with stories every day.  You act out stories with your little toys or put a puppet show on for us.  It is fun to watch your creativity unfold.  You can now draw actual pictures of actual real things.  You can draw houses, trees, people, and rainbows.  You can read and write a few words.

Your interests are pretty much the same as they have been for the last two years (princesses, fairies, ballerinas, etc) but your depth of play with these things have really changed.  Sometimes when Rio goes to bed early you get to play a board game with me and Daddy.  Daddy takes you to baseball games sometimes (just the two of you) and you think that is the greatest.  I love watching you think and play and express yourself.

You are very affectionate and loving.  You tell me you love me every day and that we will be best friends forever.

I love you both!
Mommy

Happy 2nd Birthday Rio!

Dear Rio,
Your birthday was a few months ago and we have been having so much fun that I am just now sitting down to document the occasion.  Since your real birthday was on a weekday, you had two celebrations.  One with Mom, Dad, and Lily and one with some friends.  Currently, you are fascinated by robots, therefore you had a robot theme birthday party! It was a small get together with the people you love.  Grandma and Uncle Brandon flew in for the party too!  There were robot decorations and a robot cake.  We had a robot bean bag toss and build your own robot station out of tin cans.  I'm pretty sure you had a lot of fun because I hardly saw you.  You were off playing with all the kids in the backyard for most of the party. Happy birthday Rio!!

Love, 

Mommy

Future baseball player

Easter 2013

Rio

Ballet class

First School Picture

Family Portrait

Happy 4th Birthday Lily!!

Dear Lily,

You turned four years old last week.  Once again I can not believe you are yet another year older.  It seems like yesterday that you were born.  Now you can write your name, read a few words, dress yourself, and make up your own clever jokes.  Your interests still revolve around princesses, fairies, and mermaids.  I watch you transport yourself to wonderful lands in your pretend play.  You are obsessed with pink and anything "girly."  You are an amazing big sister who watches out for Rio.  You and Rio are so sweet together.  You hold his hand when he needs help but will also tackle him down to the floor when you want to play rough.  You are strong willed and know what you want.  Sometimes we struggle because you insist on doing things your way or insist that Mommy or Daddy say please when we ask you to do something.  Sometimes it's a challenge but I am certain that your fiery personality will take you far in life.  You seem to enjoy going to school.  You are the best rule follower in your class. Sometimes I wonder if you are too serious at school but then I remember you are just like your Daddy and that's just who you are.  We love you so much.  You bring laughter to our family every single day.  

We had a birthday party for you at home.  You requested that it be a princess theme (of course).  We invited girls from your school and ballet class. We rented a giant bounce house that was supposed to be outside but the day of your birthday was very stormy, so we put the bounce in the garage.   

We had a craft table:

And a pinata (in the garage):

Everyone picked out a teacup and planted flowers in them:

One the day of your real birthday we went to WiggleWorks then you got to ride on this little carousel:

Love you,

Mommy