Happy St. Paddy's Day

Ever since my college days where March 17th was a huge holiday, I have loved St. Patrick's day. I'm 1/8th Irish, but happy to say that through good breeding my children are all 1/3 Irish. Cameron fully embracing his Irish heritage, set out a leprechaun trap before going to bed last night which involved a box filled with shiny metal objects to attract the leprechaun. His contraption was unsuccessful at capturing the leprechaun, but it did leave evidence of its visit, taking the shiny coins and leaving a shamrock and green glitter in its place. The same tricky leprechaun got into the milk, coloring it green before breakfast time. Tonight we all sat down for some corned beef and cabbage and Irish soda bread, and enjoyed our Irish roots!

Hello Sun!

Just as I was about to set sail across the river that use to be our back yard, headed for a place far far away, the sun came out and all was right once again. The rain moved in in time for the weekend and brought some bad days with it. Both Avery and Ella came down with ear infections, Cameron soon also developed an ear infection, Jameson came down with a stomach bug, and Ella then broke out in bad rash- an allergic reaction to her antibiotic. There was one point during one night ( a blur now) that all four kids were all up in misery at the same time. The rain water then came in our basement so now we will need to replace the rug, and over a foot of water flooded my parents basement where we are still staying during the construction project. At one point the water rose so high that it caused the furnace to emit clouds of thick black smoke, nearly starting an electrical fire. I smelled the something, opened the door to the basement, was enveloped in smoke- yelled to Jim that we needed to get out of here, grabbed the kids and the dog and called 911 on the way to the car, where we waited for the fire trucks to arrive. You can't make this stuff up! The firefighters shut down the gas lines and turned off the furnace and water boiler. So while a full scale fire was avoided- we are left with no heat or hot water until the flood subsides. Plumbers were here and have two pumps running, but it has still to make a dent in the water level. But the sun did come out today, everyone seems to be feeling better for now, and we got out to enjoy the day. I took the kids to a park with a great bike trail. The boys rode for the first time of the season and I pushed the girls in a stroller then let them walk pushing strollers of their own. It was a very enjoyable afternoon made even more so after the weekend we had!

Ella pushing her stroller and Jameson riding full speed ahead!

Happy Birthday Hubby

Today was Jim's birthday and the kids were so excited to help him celebrate. We made Jim a big breakfast and Cam remembered to set out the special day plate. Jameson had an origami lesson at school the other day and own his own, made Jim an origami balloon into which he inserted a happy birthday note. We had one of his favorite dinners, Chicken Veronique all ready to go when Jim got home from work. Cam, always thoughtful and generous, wrapped up some items from around the house to give to Daddy for his birthday. One gift in particular, I'm sure Jim will remember for years to come- Cam wrapped up a hockey puck of Jameson's which was autographed by one of the best players in the NHL, only before wrapping he scratched off the autograph and attempted to write his own name in its place. Oh Cam, he means so well! Everyone enjoyed the ice cream cake, especially Avery and Ella. They were jumping out of there seats while waiting for their slice and then literally licked their plates clean. What a mess! All in all, I think Jim had a nice birthday and we hope to get out this weekend to celebrate on our own. Happy Birthday Hon, we all love you so much, admire what an amazing dad you are and appreciate all your hard work!

End of the Season Makes My Monday

The Hockey Season is drawing to a close, and while I am thrilled with how much the boys have improved and I loved watching every game, I am happy that my part in chauffeuring them around to cold hockey rinks will soon be over, for a little while! To finish off the season the boys played in tournaments this past weekend. The hockey tournament fell on the same day as the basketball tournament making for a very busy day. Jameson's basketball team won their first game of the season and therefore advanced in the playoffs, and had to play again shortly after the first game. The weather was beautiful outside and at times I found myself hoping for a quick elimination (don't tell J) so we could all go enjoy some sunshine. Jameson was tired by the end of the day having played in four different games but happy to bring home a trophy! While Jim was working on the house, the girls were home with Nanny and Papa and it was the first time I left them for an entire day. While they loved spending time with their grandparents, they still gave me a hard time when I got home that evening, screamed when I left the room putting them to bed that night and were extra clingy that next day. While they make me so feel loved, it makes me very nervous to think about having to leave them for two days when I head to the hospital to deliver their baby brother or sister!
Here are some highlights from the weekend's games:

visit twinfatuation to see what else is making peoples Mondays...

First Shoes

Who doesn't love a good shoe shopping trip? Shoes are one accessory that liven up any outfit and can make you feel better instantly. Unlike clothes shopping, new shoes don't mind how much weight you've put on, or how pale this winter has made you. Well, unfortunately it wasn't me that got to be on the receiving end of this latest shopping spree, but it was my girls turn and they loved every moment of their first shoe shopping adventure. They have both been walking for over a month now, but with all of the snow on the ground I didn't feel like I had to rush out and buy them real shoes just yet. However, over the weekend, the last of the snow melted away and I began to have visions of taking the girls to the playground once again, and unfortunately their Robeez will no longer suffice. So out we went in search of real rubber soled shoes. We headed to a local shoe store which I knew to carry Stride-Right first walker shoes. The girls both measured a size 5 with the right foot and 5 1/2 on the left- I guess they really are identical! The selection was limited because we happened to time it as they were packing away all of the winter inventory and still waiting for the spring selection to arrive. They didn't have any of the white first shoes I imagined them wearing in their correct sizes. Luckily, the girls had their own idea and pointed to a few bright pink pairs. After the production of getting everyone in the store and measured I wasn't about to leave empty handed so guess what? We purchased the pink shoes which they got to wear right out of the store. When I brought the girls back home I noticed that only one out of the four shoes was still on and now I'm beginning to think maybe Velcro wasn't the best idea!

Say What Wednesday?

Cameron was doing his "homework" yesterday (I give him a little activity to practice his numbers, letters, or just coloring each day to keep him busy and keep him from distracting Jameson while he does his homework), when he said, "Mom, I don't know how to write a menu in lower case letters."
"A menu?" I asked
"Yes, we've learned how to write all the other letters in lower case but not menu, yet."
I was still a little confused so he went on to explain "You know: H, I, J, K, L, menu, P,Q,R,S...."
Laughing to myself, I explained that it is " M, N, O" 3 separate letters which he does know how to write, rather than "menu". I think the ABC song makes a little more sense now...

Playing along with Missy at Two Little Monkeys on this Say What Wednesday

15 months and growing...

Climbing and up to no good!
Avery loves her hats!

Ella makes the silliest faces and great fake laugh.

The girls are at such a cute age right now, I have to just stop and recall some of their new tricks. They have become proficient walkers, and while they still trip over anything tiny that lays in their path, fall down every few feet while walking outside or on any un-level surface, I think they have mastered this latest milestone for the most part. Their fine motor skills seem to be improving everyday as well. Avery especially, has become quite skilled at fitting puzzle pieces into the right place on the wooden board, and putting foam shapes around wooden pegs. They seem to enjoy it when we sit down and do these quiet activities. If I kneel down across the room from them they will walk as fast as they can, trying to run into my arms. The are such snuggle bunnies and whenever I sit down on the floor to play with them it isn't long before one crawls into my lap. They are so affectionate and love to give kisses; often without being asked. When Jim gets them up in the morning he says they always have a kiss for him too! Avery has a tendency to get a little jealous when I am cuddling with one of her siblings and does her best to pull them away from me and move in in their place. I hope it doesn't escalate when her new baby brother or sister comes along! But for the most part, Avery and Ella love to play with each other and when one heads off to explore, her sister is usually right behind her, giving her the confidence to venture somewhere or into something they know isn't for babies! They usually play very nicely with each other (or next to each other) but often want the same toy at the same time, and try and grab it. The victim usually lets out a shriek then turns to me for some comfort. The boys at this age where a bit more impulsive and would have let anyone trying to take their toy really have it (and by it I don't mean the toy). So we are working on taking turns, something I'm sure we will be grappling with for years to come. When one girl wants what the other has and is about to snatch it, I stop her and have her do the sign for "please" . We'll see if it catches on. Ella has really taken to sign for "more" and when she sees something she wants she points to it then signs "more" very deliberately, and faster until she gets what she wants. She is content to eat for an hour in her highchair and when I'm sure she must be full, she signs "more" and the food keeps coming. These little girls have amazing appetites and I have yet to find a food they do not like. Blueberries or "boobas" are at the top of their list right now. They are adding new words to their vocabulary every time I turn around. If you ask Avery what her favorite color is she answers "purple" with out hesitating. "JJ' is another favorite word of hers and she loves to follow her big brother Jameson around. Cameron is a little insulted the girls can't say his name, but they call him "JJ' too! While watching the Superbowl last weekend they delivered a new favorite phrase: "touchdown" or "tadown" while raising both arms above their head. I can't wait to see what words will come next. They are so sweet and provide me with a constant source of entertainment and enjoyment.