Fun Night With Caity

Last Saturday Caity offered to baby sit the kids, so Matt and I could have an evening out. We were excited because it had been a little while since just the two of us went out, plus I had been craving a Ruth's Chris Filet! We had a great time together, but it looks like Caity and the kids had the most fun. They played and played together, but the kids had a lot of fun sitting in the block bin and playing. Since last week every time the bin is out both kids are trying climb in it versus just play with the blocks. We are so lucky to have Caity here to watch the kids and the kids love her. It is a lot easier to go out when you know your kids are being kept safe with someone that loves them.

Watching A Movie

Nolan did not see the need for a Sunday Afternoon Nap today, so he and I played upstairs while Rylee and Daddy enjoyed a good nap together on the couch. I thought maybe he would watch a movie if I turned it on for him, at least for a few minutes to keep him quiet, and when I turned it on he went and climbed right into one of our kid chairs. He sat in the chair and stared at the movie for a good 5 minutes, and then when I got the camera out to take a picture he smiled and came to attack me.

** Side Note: He is into everything these days and climbing is one of his new favorite things to do. It is not uncommon to hear him trying to climb onto Rylee's bed or trying to get from the bathroom stool onto the toilet!! I keep having a fear of him climbing his crib, which is why we have started to look for his big boy bed furniture.

Nolan's First Haircut

Nolan's hair has been a little bit out of control for the last few weeks, so we decided that it was time to get his hair cut. He did such a great job, I was so proud of him. He was a little wiggly, but he never cried or made it too difficult for the stylist. On the back she was able to take off over an inch all the way around, and off the top over an inch and a half. At first I was a little worried about cutting off his curls, but in the end it actually made his hair curlier to trim off the length. The cutest part is the hair that I got to save from the stylist is perfect ringlets, such a cute boy with curls like his Daddy.

A Good Laugh

On Friday when we were going upstairs for naps, I carried Nolan up and when I turned to see where Rylee was, I found her dressed like this. She was wearing my vest and Nolan's hat, which were at the bottom of the stairs, and I could not help but laugh at the sight. She was so proud of herself for bringing the stuff up, but looked so silly and cute I could not help but have a good laugh with her!

Playing Together

Now that Nolan is walking and acting more like a toddler than a baby, Rylee enjoys playing with him even more. They build blocks together, play tools, play refrigerator magnets, but they love to play on the car together. Rylee loves to sit on the car and have Nolan push her, but she tells us she cannot push Nolan because he is too heavy. Last night they were playing with the refrigerator magnets, and then Rylee brought the car over so they took the magnets with them on their walk. I love these kiddos!

Gymnastics Open House

A little over a week ago a local gymnastics studio had an open house, so Rylee, Nolan and I and our neighbors went over to play for a bit. Rylee and Myriah had a great time together playing in the foam pit and walking on the balance beam together, helping each other. Nolan was into exploring everything and seeing what he could climb on.

Rylee's Soccer Gear

The past few weeks Rylee has loved going to soccer practice with me. She asks me every day if we are going to soccer and if she gets to play! She loves running with the girls, dribbling and scoring in the goal. Just the other day on our drive home she sweetly said to me, "Mommy, may I please have some soccer shoes?" I told her I would have to see if they made some small enough for her foot. After a few days searching the internet I realized they do not make cleats her size, but they did have a pair of Adidas Samba Indoors for her. So, this afternoon we went to the store and she is completely ready for soccer now with shoes, socks, shin guards and pre-wrap for her hair. She was so excited to get home and play soccer with Daddy in the entry way!

New Soccer Shoes

Daddy helping her get ready

Shin Gaurds

Nolan Walking

We finally got Nolan walking on video. He is walking more than crawling around the house these days and you can tell he feels all grown up doing so. He must be doing what his sister is doing, so tonight while she was playing soccer in the entry way with Daddy he joined in too.

Tay-Tay's Hair

This morning while the kids were in a bath I was informed that Rylee wanted "Tay-Tay hair" today. I asked her what she meant and she told me "you know like Tay-Tay does her hair Mommy." Taylor wears her hair in a high-side pony-tail when she plays soccer, so I asked Rylee if that is what she meant and sure enough it was. So, after a lot of hair spray, because Rye's hair is too short, this is what we have. She loves it!! She told me she wants to wear it to school like this next week.

Loving her cute hair

Not the best picture, but a better shot of how her hair is done.

Sleeping Great

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and concerns for Nolan's hand, but he is really doing great. We took him in to the doctor and he told us Nolan was the luckiest kid he had ever seen who had touched a fireplace. He said that had his hand been on their a "millisecond longer" (his words, not mine) he would have had severe third degree burns and needed skin grafts and many other surgeries. We are so blessed that he is going to be just fine.
Yesterday I went to wake him up to take him in to the doctor and this is how I found him sleeping. Many of you are making sure he is resting comfortably, so I figured this was a great way to show you how well he is still sleeping, and seems to be doing just fine.

Nolan's Hand

My blog is also our family journal, and sometimes I blog things just simply so I can remember they happened in twenty years from now, and that is what this is. Last night I had soccer practice and the kids stayed at a neighbors. While the girls were playing there was a mess made and our neighbor was cleaning it up and asked her husband to grab a garbage bag. Well, while he was grabbing the garbage back, probably twenty seconds, Nolan decided to see how hot the fireplace was with his hand. We got really really lucky that he only touched with one hand, he did not fall on the fireplace, he just reached out to investigate and burnt his finger tips. When Matt picked the kids up last night he said Nolan was still very upset, but after Matt wrapped up his hand and treated it with Aloe he seemed to calm down. After a good night sleep he seems to be pretty happy and hopefully his hand will heal up just fine.

Still our Happy Boy . . .

Despite the blisters on each finger!

Happy 4th Birthday Megan

Megan turns four today and what is so crazy is that means Rylee is on her way to being four as well. These two girls are so different, but are such good friends. I had so much fun listening to their phone conversation these evening, I even learned that Megan will be "four for a week and then she will be five!" Megan and Rylee's brains together scare us as parents for what they are going to come up with when they are 14, but we are lucky they are so close. Megan, we hope you have a great day and get lots of fun Dinosaur stuff!!!

Uncle Jeff with Megan (6 1/2 months) and Rylee (7 weeks)

Megan at Christmas, so cute!!!

Nolan's Walking Everywhere

Nolan has been taking steps for a few weeks, but the last few days he has been doing a great job walking. He is not exclusively walking or anything, but he has taken 10 steps and he is even stopping in the middle for balance and then starting again. He has even discovered that he fits behind the chair where we keep his toys, so quite often I find him exploring with this innocent smile on his face.

Visit From Our Friends Down South

It is hard to have your best friends live in another country, but it is always great when they get to come visit us. Dan and Lauren were in town very quickly and very unexpectedly, but we are grateful they made time to stop by and see us. Nolan and James are only two months apart and it was fun to see them building things and banging these together with each other. Rylee had a great time coloring with Lauren, building blocks with James, and playing tools with Uncle Dan. We miss them already, but found out we get to see them again in April for Dan's brother's wedding!!

Nolan and James playing tools

Uncle Dan, Rylee and Nolan building something

Rylee and James building a tower

** Side note: The cute new block box is part of Rylee's new Sleeping Beauty Blocks Set that Caity got her for Christmas, a perfect gift for our girl.