THREE

There is so very much to love about having a three year-old. I am going to miss warm hugs in the morning and mispronounced words, being needed and finding weird things in weird places around the house, giggles and obstacle courses created out of couch cushions. SO.MUCH.JOY!!
But there's the other side. The stuff I won't miss.
It's hard to describe, especially since I'm aware Evan might read this someday!
I'll start here.
Imagine the feeling of staring at your sweet sleeping child. There is NOTHING so cute. It tugs at your heart-strings and helps you fully realize how amazingly lucky you are that this human exists in your life. It's pretty amazing.
Well, everything has an opposite, right?
The opposite is at 3a.m. when that child is screaming and flailing. They are screaming and flailing because they are tired, yet they will not go to sleep. You have to change their sheets because they are soaked in urine, as well as their comforter, favorite blanket, pjs, cloth diaper that was double stuffed AND the dang plastic pants that you put over the cloth diaper to prevent all of this from happening.
(I thought I had this wet at night problem nailed last night. I was SURE we were going to get a good night's sleep. I DO NOT LEARN.)
I just felt put out. I just wanted to be asleep. I felt REALLY GUILTY for feeling that way! I wish that I had walked in there and said sweet words and joyfully cleaned everything up and then snuggled with him the rest of the night. But I trudged in there, gave him half a hug since I didn't want to have to change my clothes and said, "It's ok baby." and changed his diaper and pjs as fast as I could since he was shivering. Then I left him standing there whining while I changed the sheets actually wondering if he could just sleep in a different part of the bed...it is a queen after all! Then I got him tucked back in and he asked for a story and a snuggle. I wish I had said yes. I told him no way, it's time to be asleep.
I reassure myself saying a bad mom would not have gotten up, would have left him in there to fall back asleep all wet after he cried himself to exhaustion.
But that's not really reassuring, because I know I'm not a monster.
I'm just kind of a jerk in the middle of the night.
But I don't want to be a jerk to my 3 year-old. I don't want him to feel bad for having a bladder the size of Lake Victoria. (Seriously, I don't think I could pee as much as this child...I really want to measure it someday.) I don't want him to be afraid to call for me in the night if he needs something.
So I'm going to start going to bed a little earlier. And Evan only gets liquids from 7a.m. to 10a.m. I'm kidding about the 2nd part.

Just loving my boys...

We've had a lot of time off between school being out for conferences, Presidents' Day and three snow days! Being stuck in the house usually makes me pretty anxious. Braden and Evan like to get out and have adventures! And I get tired of cleaning pretty quickly. But we've been having a good time!
The boys actually like playing together sometimes, which is a relief for me. It's so interesting to watch them interact. Braden has taught Evan to steal toys and Evan has taught Braden to scream like a banshee. I'm sure they have had some good influences on each other too...they just aren't coming to mind right now!
Even in the moments where they are getting on my last nerve...they do little things that remind me how much I love them.
I love that they love to eat. They had salmon, peppers, broccoli, carrots, pork roast, corn bread, banana bread, apples and mac n cheese today...hilarious!
I love the way Evan scratches his head. He puts all of his fingers together instead of just using one. And he raises his eyebrows so high. I don't know how to describe how adorable it is!
And Braden has started doing the sweetest things like he cut hearts out of construction paper and brought them to me. Talk about melt a mommy's heart!
Evan loves to sing little songs and thinks it's so funny to hear rhyming phrases. His latest favorites are "Easy Peasy" and "Owie Zowie". He was actually crying after hurting his toe when I told him, "Oh I bet that hurt! Owie Zowie!" and he started giggling through his tears! Cute!
Braden is learning to read! I am so proud of that kid. He has come so far. He doesn't last long, and gets pretty frustrated sometimes, but the dude can read little beginner books!
Evan's UNcute habit right now is screaming instead of sleeping. He figured out how to open the gate we installed across his bedroom door. So I had to turn his doorknob around and lock him in his room. I always swore I wouldn't do that to my kids. Now I have Evan. Braden was never a great sleeper at 2 either, but he at least stayed in bed. In fact, he may have still been in a crib at this point. Evan however gets up and goes hunting! He has appeared in my room in the middle of the night, come right downstairs in the middle of what was supposed to be nap time and gone into Braden's room and woken him too early in the morning. I also know that Evan can and will open the front door and walk right out...so...lock him in his room I do! This does not make the child happy. It does not make me happy either. But I'm not as worried about it anymore. I think it will actually make him feel more secure knowing he's stuck in there until it's time to get up. When he cries for me I go in and  he runs right back to his bed and snuggles in. He has a whole menagerie of stuffed friends that he stuffs under his covers to snuggle with. He seems so grown up under his quilt that Grandma made!
Braden has turned into a great little sleeper! FINALLY! He still wants footie pjs in the winter and I will be so sad the day he doesn't! He still keeps his rags with him. I'll be interested to see how long that goes on too!
There have been so many things lately that remind me how lucky I am to have these two monkeys in my life. I'm awfully glad to have had the extra time lately to spend just enjoying them and not having to run to activities. I've gotten extra snuggle time and extra giggle time. I know it's a gift.

The Baby Turned Two!

Evan I love the way you say "tookie" instead of cookie. And I love how you ask "Where we going Mommy?" when we're in the car. I love that you like to go to music class, and playgroup, and to William's house. I love that you love your big boy blanket that Grandma made you and you count your fish before you go to sleep. I love that you look for Buhboe when you wake up. I love that you are learning to count and you  speak in sentences. I love how much you love Curious George, Pocoyo and Little Einsteins. You and I keep the library hopping! I love how you love to "color" and how you are still so snuggly. I love how you smell when you wake up. I love you in footie pajamas...and you LOVE to be in footie pajamas. I love how big you are. You had a checkup today and you are in the 99th percentile for height and head size and 98th percentile for weight! You like to play with hex bugs, play-doh and anything that Braden has. You are starting to call your brother Braden sometimes...and it makes me a little sad! You are growing up and it is so cool! We love you little big man! I LOVE YOU!

Halloween Gets Better Every Year!

Can you spot my spooky ghost?

The cat and the ninja are excited to head out trick-or-treating!

The gang is ready!

Ella, Braden, Sydney, Arthur, Isaac and Evan

Evan scored!

Snuggles for Baby Cat, the inspiration for the costume!

Some cute pics and a list of things I love.

Some things I love about Braden...

He eats edamame for breakfast sometimes.

People say he's "sweet."

He goes to sleep quickly and easily.

He loves his friends and family fiercely.

He worries about people.

He likes to be outside.

He will try anything.

He is getting so good at entertaining himself.

He loves Halloween and "spooky stuff".

He thinks the entrance to Abercrombie and Fitch is his own personal dance floor.

He still snuggles with me.

He is a really tough guy when he is sick.

Some things I love about Evan...

He has a fake laugh that he uses with HILARIOUS timing.

He looks so small and cute in his big boy bed.

He lists the names of his family when he's alone.

He gives great hugs and super sweet kisses.

He is the bounciest kid I've ever met.

He likes to be outside.

He loves cats and dogs.

He begs to watch Little Einsteins in the van.

He smells so good before bed.

He is really cute when he pretends to be a cat, which is OFTEN.

Some cute pictures.

Evan and Ashley racing!

Ashley, Evan and William playing on a "baby-swap" day!

Braden's Kindergarten school picture! Hee hee! 

Arthur seems a little shocked by the shaving cream at the back to school party!

Ashley isn't so sure either. 

Caleb and Braden try a high five with hands full of shaving cream! 

Turns out a shaving cream slide is just as fast as a water slide! 

Evan at 20 months

Evan has the kindest heart. I have never known a one year-old who WANTS to share so badly! Even his precious food!
His kind heart is wrapped in a gruff exterior though. He has a LOUD, low voice. And when he wants to share something with you he will yell your name over and over until you take what he is offering!
This morning Evan found the phone in my room and put it up to his ear. He was babbling and I asked "
Who is it?" He said, "Grandpa." I said, "Oh, do you want to call Grandpa?" So Evan starts yelling "GRANDPA! GRANDPA!" at the phone! I did end up calling, and oddly enough my dad was the one that answered the phone. Evan had something to share with him apparently, but nobody understood what it was! It was so cute.
Evan and Braden have started driving each other crazy the last couple of weeks. They have moments where they are just as sweet as can be. But it seems like are learning the joys of pushing each others' buttons now too. Evan has a few toys that are his favorites, and Braden loves to get to them just ahead of his little brother and snatch them up. Evan screams bloody murder!
Evan likes to knock down the elaborate scenes of army guys and whatnot that Braden sets up. It's heartbreaking for Braden but I have no idea how to prevent it!
They are going to be a challenge!
Very exciting news...I got to "sleep in" this morning! For the first time since Evan was born (20 long months ago) Mike got up with the boys this morning and I got to stay in bed. It was pretty awesome! I had to wake Mike up to go get them, and I couldn't fall back asleep, but I did get to read and just lay around. It was fantastic. Just fantastic. Can't wait for next Sunday!

Hey Evan!

Evan will have to learn someday that when he hears Braden say, "Hey Evan, come here," that is probably the LAST thing he should do!

I heard Braden say that, but didn't hear any fussing, so I finished washing the dish I was working on. By the time I made it into the playroom Evan was already strapped in! Braden kept telling him, "Evan it's your jetpack!" Evan didn't seem to love the idea.