Pajama Day

I asked Wip to rank his favorite days and this is what he came up with:

1. Christmas Day
2. Pajama Day
3. Halloween Day
4. Easter
5. Birthday

What can I say...the kid loves his pajamas. Today was pajama day in the Cow Class. Wip was ecstatic.

I mean waking up to a favorite day even if you were taken to the basement in the middle of the night due to tornado sirens going off has got to be awesome.

Ms. Jan sent some pictures from the big day, and it looks like he made the best of it.

This was the "pretend" sleep picture

Movement

Leader of the pack

Boys, Basement, and Books

This post is very random (hence the name).

Monday was yucky outside. It was rainy, gloomy, and the perfect excuse to just hang out at the house. After nap/rest time the boys were playing in the basement and all I could hear was giggles.

When I went to check on them, this is what I found...

Just a couple of brothers playing in the basement. Really playing. Laughing, making a mess, building towers with blocks.  Enjoying each other. I had been waiting for this day to come ever sense Duncan was born. I have seen bits and pieces, but yesterday it was right in front of my face. I feel like they are the kind of boys that are so different but connected through brotherhood (like the real version...not the frat stuff). It was such a tug at the heart strings moment to see. My boys are bros. The real and fist pump kind of bros.

Before bed we had the nightly dance off to Hot Dog! by They Might Be Giants (or the song at the end of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse). Duncan really loves this dance off. He usually wins.

After baths it was time to read some books before bed. We read a favorite "Just a Little Luck" by Mercer Mayer and a new one for me to read "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak. Wip is an observant little fella, while reading "Just a Little Luck", he pointed out that the sister in the book had a different ice cream cone in the book than on the cover. Really, who notices things like this?

Then when I was reading "Where the Wild Things Are" I said "and an ocean tumbled with a private boat...", Wip quickly pointed out that "an ocean tumbled by". OK kid, I got it.

Happy 4th Birthday Israel!

Poor Israel. He was supposed to have his birthday party a couple of weeks ago but sadly the stomach bug took over and he ended up in the hospital on the day of his party due to dehydration. His mom rescheduled the party and so last night we were finally able to give our shout outs to the birthday boy.

Wip fell asleep on the way to the 4:45pm party. I guess that is what you get when you wake up at 6:20am on a Sunday morning! Israel was greeting everyone at as they walked in the door. When Wip walked in, it was like they had not seen each other in years....hugs, birthday wishes, ripping open the presents...they were a riot.

Running, jumping, pizza, cupcakes. Kazoing did not disappoint. It was a little sad to think that next year will probably be the last year that all of the children are together at school. Wip has made some great friends.

Needless to say getting Wip to bed last night was a breeze:)  Happy 4th Birthday Israel!!!

You Deserve a Break Today

When I was a little girl, hand clapping games were all the rage. My favorite was the McDonald's hand clap that can be seen here. I had a "you deserve a break today" kinda week thanks to stress and feeling under the weather. Having the best husband in the entire world pays off when you have a "you deserve a break" kinda week. On Friday, Patrick took the boys to the Louisville RV & Boat show at the Expo Center and let me have the afternoon to rest. Let's just say this will be a repeat for next year. Fishing, ice cream, alligators eating otters, hot dogs, oh my!

Wip had questioned the otter...he insisted it was a cat

Bobby and Duncan enjoying some ice cream

Don't mind me...just catching some trout

RV & Boat showed out!

Bribe and Be Kind

Wip helped me try to bribe Duncan to eat his green beans tonight.

Wip: D this cookie is really good, you should eat a green bean

Duncan: Mine cookie

Wip: No this is my cookie

Mommy: Duncan do you want to eat a green bean

Duncan: Yeah (but not really)

After the unsuccessful attempt at bribing his brother we were talking after the bath about being kind to our friends. He looked at me and said "Martin Luther King, Jr. said to always be kind to other people". I asked him where he learned this and he said "we learned about Martin Luther King, Jr. in school". This made every penny we pay in tuition completely worth it. Thank you Temple!

It felt good...

This weekend has just felt good...

It felt good to pile everyone in the car and run errands on Saturday morning (bank, allergy shot, car wash, haircuts).

It felt good to catch up with Kristen and Kathryn on Saturday night.

It felt good to visit with Miranda and sweet Miles and hear all about her trip home to Hong Kong.

It felt good to watch Wip and Duncan play outside with Isabel and Harrison.

It felt good to make s'mores with the boys before dinner.

In fact the only thing that did not feel good about this weekend was the question that I was asked on two separate occasions, "are your boys twins?". While I think it is adorable that they look like brothers, asking me if they are twins just makes it a reality that Duncan is in fact a little boy and no longer a baby....sigh.

Mom's Day

Today was Mom's day at the Temple. When I walked in Wip's classroom, he looked up and smiled as if I was the most important person in the world. He showed me where I needed to sit (such a hospitable little man) and we all took a seat and enjoyed some juice and challah bread (after saying the prayer...Hebrew prayer, of course). My wild and impulsive son was this angelic and sweet little boy in his classroom setting. He showed me where the books are kept and asked if I would read the book "Mommies" to him (tear).

The children made "I love you" pins for each of the moms

Ms. Jan said she has never seen a boy who loves animals as much as Wip. She then told me a story when the children were in circle time and talking about horses. She said that she was explaining to the children that a mom horse is called a mare and a dad horse is called a stallion. Then she said she blanked on what a baby horse is called. In trying to rack her brain, Wip raised his hand and said "in my baby animals book the baby horse is called a foal". She was thankful that he was there to remind her:)

After snack and books it was time for music. The entire school gathered for music and boy did we "shake some sillies out". At one point, Wip's friend Israel came over (he is in the Butterfly class) and gave him a hug and then both boys sat in my lap for the next song...it was precious!

The teachers role playing a song, the children loved it!

Wip's buddy Is

I decided to use the opportunity after music class for some mommy and Wip time. We went to Shady Lane Cafe for lunch and enjoyed a grilled cheese and crinkle fries (my favorite!). While my favorite part was hanging with Wip, his favorite part was going to visit the GIANT horse at the end of the parking lot (go figure).

Mmmmmmmmmm

So happy

Of course on the way home we had to stop at Target, his adorableness and good behavior made me cave when he asked for Monsters Inc. toys for him and his "brudder"....yes, I am a sucker.

Mike and Sully, welcome to the family!

Group Shots

In the car yesterday I told Wip that I could not believe that he was going to be four soon. He told me that he did not want to turn four. I asked if he would just stay three forever...he said "sure".

Here are some group shots so that I can look back and remember when....

Green Crocodile Basketball Team

Cow Class

Bunny Class

Attention Crewcut Scouts!

I was reminded of another blog post that I forgot to write about thanks to a back order. Granddaddy had some fun on the J.Crew website for Christmas and so we decided to put on a J.Crew Crewcuts
fashion show. Enjoy!

Rain Rain Go Away

                                                    
Our basement/David's room flooded yesterday. Thank goodness for beach towels and Uncle Scotty that helped with the clean up.  While this was most unfortunate, it reminded me that I never posted the before and after of the basement renovation...

 BEFORE:

Needs a little welcoming shelf

Planning for lots of pictures

Trying to figure out the best placement for relaxing and playing

Trying to be strategic 

AFTER:

That is better

Typewriter...a must

Train table

Kitchen

The Wes Anderson theme basement is complete

Butterflies

Sometimes Wip and Duncan give me butterflies. The feeling when your heart just decides to skip a beat.

This past week I have had a few butterfly moments...

Wip requesting his favorite song "Mommy, I want to hear the HEY! song", thank goodness that the song is called "Ho Hey" by the Lumineers so it was easy to look up. Riding in the car belting this song with your home body of a son would give anyone butterflies:)

Duncan going nuts over the "The Magic Clap" by The Coup. Seriously. Going. Nuts. Clapping like a mad man. He was having so much fun with this song that Wip said he changed his mind and his favorite song is now the "clap song".

Watching Toy Story 3 with your Toy Story obsessed son as he clutches his Toy Story dolls during a scary part of the movie. Heart explode.

Change or Not to Change

Every time I walk around Sea Island something changes. It might be the bike shop moving next to the movie theater (much more logical) or something as simple as the cushion fabric on the chairs in the Beach Club. While there is always change, the simplicity and fun of a place like Sea Island stays the same. As I was reflecting of the wonderful week that we had in Sea Island, it dawned on me that we experienced the same thing with Wip and Duncan.

Some things did not change with Wip. He is still a little boy with a lot of energy, but one of the sweetest moments of the week happened when me, Wip, and Granddaddy went to see Lion King at the movie theater (popcorn and drink included...hola!). Wip was still just a little too small to sit in the theater chair (just like last year). I almost cried watching him sit in his Granddaddy's lap through the entire film. I know that one day that will change, but I was pretty happy that this year it stayed the same.

Some things did change with Wip. Patrick and I talked about how Wip is developing his own little sense of humor. Now, it is a three year old sense of humor, but it sure does make him laugh. I dare you to say "french toast" to the kid. He just cracks up. 

Some things did not change with Duncan. He is still obsessed with his cousin William. I swear from the day William arrived in this world, Duncan had been mesmerized. That did not change at the beach. Auntie would sit William in front of Duncan during lunch and he would just talk to William like they were best buds. I hope that never changes.

Some things did change with Duncan. His vocabulary EXPLODED over this week. I swear he is saying things that are clear as a bell and not sounding so much like an episode of Timmy Time. One of the sweetest moments was his clarification of "Mimi". He would look at me and say "I want Mimi". It seriously melts your heart.

So, to change or not to change? I think that Sea Island has the perfect balance and I hope that my children will too. 

Here is a recap of the week...we had a ball.

Urbanears headphones are HIGHLY recommended for road trips.

Duncan tried to will the CATS to a victory with no luck:(

We used the "train" for many walks

How excited is Wip about Baby Jesus in the farm? VERY!

Father and Son

Mother and Son

Sup?

Duncan loves the playground

Brothers

Who wants to play shuffleboard, anyone?

Ho Ho Ho!

So handsome

Told ya...loves the playground

New Years Eve celebration

Lovin' the sparklers

William...not so much

Wip LOVED the life size gingerbread house!

William being adorable

Wip telling the birds that he will see them next time

*I realize that many of the pictures Wip is wearing the same pajamas. Yes, these were different days in the same pajamas. He was obsessed with being in his pajamas!