01/08/12

July 30, 2011 - Tonight we were able to find a sitter for Nick (the difficulty was scheduling and not with having Eric there) and escaped for a nice dinner out and to see the final Harry Potter movie.  It is such a treat to have an uninterrupted dinner!! :)

July 29, 2011 - This afternoon I took Eric up to Nana and Pops' to stay for a couple of nights.  He was already engrossed in the Legos when I left and had to be pried away to say goodbye.  Nick seemed to have a great time this evening having his parents to himself, definitely a rarity.

      Video: Nick Pushing Cars with Daddy

July 28, 2011 - We had a park play morning with some of Eric's preschool friends today.  Nick had a great time on the slide.  Video: Nick Sliding Solo

July 27, 2011 - This morning we had swimming and t-ball, and Nana was able to come with us to watch and help out.  Eric was thrilled!  This afternoon we headed up to PIR for the Beaches cruise-in.  We all rode together in the Mustang and Nick loved being able to sit forward (he's still rear-facing most of the time per pediatrician's recommendation).  It was really cute to see both boys with their Mickey ears in the back seat.  We were also very surprised when Eric fell asleep on the way there.  It's the first time he has fallen asleep in the Mustang.  After we got home tonight and I put Nick to bed, he said 'night-night' as I was leaving :)

July 26, 2011 - As I was playing around on the kitchen computer this morning, Nick began to close the sliding door (between the kitchen and dining room) and right before closing it he looked at me, waved and said 'bye', then closed the door.  He then opened it up and said 'hi'.  And he did this several times in a row.  Super cute!!

July 25, 2011 - Here's a video of the boys and the fort they made this evening: Boys Fort

July 24, 2011 - An at-home day with an afternoon in the backyard.  Could summer be here??

July 23, 2011 - Today Dave and Eric went on a day hike, another 'test' before attempting a backpacking trip.  They hiked a total of two miles and Eric did great.  The only issue is that they had to keep stopping so that Eric could take a drink from Dave's camelback.  Eric had his own water bottle, but preferred the camelback.  We'll have to see if they make a kid's size!  After hiking they headed into Tillamook to the cheese factory for some cheese curds, but unfortunately they were out.

July 21, 2011 - We went back to the zoo this morning, this time meeting up with Crista and her kids.  It was fun to spend some time with them and see animals we didn't see two weeks ago.

July 20, 2011 - Eric has had his t-ball class every Wednesday, and I finally took some more pictures today.  During class, Nick stays in his stroller for only a short time and then loves to play with whatever balls are lying around and look at the adjacent construction.  Tonight, Dave's friend Mike from high school came over for dinner with his family and it was really good to spend some time with them.

      Videos: Eric T-ball 7/20/2011 and Swinging with Mike

July 19, 2011 - Eric was very creative during his rest time this afternoon and made lots of cool Lego transportation vehicles.

July 17, 2011 - Today was a super rainy today and we wonder if summer will ever arrive.  We had a few nice days around the 4th, but since then it has been cool and drizzly.  Hopefully summer will arrive soon!!  The weather may not have been great, but we did have a great day today.  We spent the whole day at Grammy and Grandpa's with them and Great Grandma and Aunt Barb, and had a good day with each other's company.  It was also great to get some 'generation' pictures.  And the rain finally cleared out by late afternoon for a nice hour or so of decent weather :)

July 15, 2011 - This morning was Eric's first morning of a cooking class at the rec center.  He had a fun time and particularly enjoyed all of the taste tests the kids received as they were prepping the food.  Nick also began saying 'OK' today.

July 14, 2011 - Great-Grandma Niccum and Aunt Barb are in town visiting Grammy and Grandpa, and they all came over for dinner tonight.  After dinner Eric convinced Grammy and Aunt Barb to play some Candyland and they all had a great time :)

July 10, 2011 - Messy boy again.....at least he enjoyed his baked beans and strawberry pie!!

July 8, 2011 - Last night Dave and Eric 'camped' in the backyard, as a test to see if Eric can sleep in a tent ok and possibly go on a backpacking trip together.  They spent the afternoon setting everything up, including a camp fire in the fire pit.  We cooked hobo pies for dinner and ate outside as a family, then Nick and I went in for the night.  When it got dark, Dave and Eric headed into the tent to sleep.  Eric had a hard time calming down, he was so excited, but eventually fell asleep and slept all night and had a great night.  There might be a backpacking trip on the horizon!!

July 7, 2011 - This morning we all went to the zoo (Dave is taking most of this week off).  We had fun, especially checking out the dinosaur exhibit and riding the train.  Today I also finally heard Nick say 'ma ma'.  I hear 'Da-dy' all the time, but usually I'm not home when he has said 'ma ma' recently. 

Videos: Boys Uncover Fossil and Eric Riding the Zoo Train

July 5, 2011 - Cutie boy :)  At dinner tonight, we ate corn on the cob, which Nick absolutely loves.  Part of our conversation was about dinosaurs and Eric made a joke, calling Nick a 'cornivore' :)

July 4, 2011 - Happy 4th of July!!  Our day began with the annual neighborhood parade, with Nana, Pops, Grammy, Grandpa, Uncle Michael and Brenna all here for the day.  We had a fun day of mostly relaxing in the backyard and ended with a few fireworks, quiet ones that Eric could handle.  He especially liked the snap dragons. 

                              Video: Eric Snap Dragons

July 3, 2011 - Messy boy...Also here's a picture Dave took this afternoon when he and Eric went to buy fireworks.  At the firework stand they also had a blow-up shark slide that Eric really wanted to go down.  He did, and had a great time.  But, to go on it you first had to sign your name on a disclosure form and Dave had Eric write his own name.  This is the first time he has written it entirely correctly, and between the lines to book.  Usually he writes it mostly backward.  We were quite proud of him!!

June 29, 2011 - Grammy came over this morning to go with us to swimming and t-ball.  Eric loved having her there to watch, and I was grateful to have the extra hands to help out when swimming was over.

June 25, 2011 - This morning we headed out to Hood River for 'A Day Out with Thomas'.  Nick has been really enjoying his Thomas board books, so we thought this would be fun for them.  Both kids are doing better with their colds, but unfortunately Eric's asthma kicked in so we had to keep giving him his inhaler and eventually began his steroid asthma meds.  But, they both had fun and enjoyed the train ride and seeing Thomas.

                                Videos: Eric Dancing on Thomas and Eric in Ball Pit

June 23, 2011 - Both boys seem to have come down with colds and drippy noses today :(

June 22, 2011 - Today we had our first swimming lesson for the summer session and I was thrilled that we were able to get ourselves all cleaned up without any major issues.  It's not easy with two wet boys and a wet mommy.  After swimming (and a coffee stop for me!) we headed to Eric's t-ball class at the rec center.  Last summer when Eric took a sports class here, he refused to participate, so I was thrilled when he jumped right in to the activities and had a great time.  It was tough keeping Nick occupied and from running into the thick of class.  All he wanted was to play too!!

  Videos: Eric Running Bases and Nick Playing with Cones

June 21, 2011 - This morning we had our first 'Music Together' class.  The boys had a great time, especially when it came time to play the drums and other instruments.  It's nice to be able to do a class with both kids.  As for Nick, he has begun saying some two-syllable words (bye-bye and 'all done'), but ever since we returned from Florida he has been hitting us.  We're working on 'no hitting' and 'gentle'. 

June 20, 2011 - We had all of our playgroup friends over this morning and it was so nice to see each other and attempt to catch-up while all the kiddos were running around.

June 19, 2011 - Happy Father's Day!!  The weather cooperated for us today and we headed up to Woodland for the annual Planter's Day car show.  Dave's Mustang made it there and home with no issues (quite a relief given last year's issues).  After the car show we headed over to Grammy and Grandpa's for a while to spend some time at their house.  We had not visited since the day they moved in.  We all then met up with Nana and Pops and went out for a Father's Day dinner.  A busy, but fun day!!

June 18, 2011 - This morning was the last day of swimming for this session.  Next week we begin having lessons mid-week, which means I'll be on my own with the kids.  I'm really not looking forward to it!!  Also, here's a cute video from today: Kitties on TV

June 14, 2011 - While Eric was at camp this morning I finally gave Nick some crackers with peanut butter and he had no issues :)

June 13, 2011 - This morning we took Eric to his first morning of his week-long 'Solar Express' camp at preschool.  He had a great time, and the camp is with next year's teachers in next year's room, so that will be really good for him.  After we picked him up, we took him over to his friend Liam's house for lunch and an afternoon playdate.  As expected, he had a lot of fun.  Tonight, as I left for band rehearsal, Nick was finished eating his dinner and, before I even went to say goodbye to him, he came over to me and gave me a love, hug and wave.  He knew what was coming!!  As Dave was getting Eric into bed, Nick became extremely freaked out when Eric was covered with his blankets, like the blanket ate him.  Eric quickly uncovered himself and told Nick 'See Nick, I'm right here!!'

June 12, 2011 - We got together this afternoon with friends Crista and JaiAnn and families.  It was fun to see each other and catch up!!

June 8, 2011 - We went to our first Beaches Cruise-in at PIR tonight.  It was cool, but dry and we had fun.  We met up with Nana, Pops and Grammy there for the evening.  Eric had fun getting himself all dressed up for his first car show of the season.  He's been missing them!! 

        Video: Eric Drumming

June 7, 2011 - This morning I took Eric in for a check-up for his cold-related asthma.  He gets to take a 'summer break' from his daily asthma meds, so that will be nice.  We'll re-start them before preschool begins in September.  We are slowly unpacking and recuperating from our trip and look forward to a low-key week.

May 28-June 5, 2011 - Disneyworld!!!!! 

We left super early Saturday morning, the 28th, caught a short flight up to Seattle and then direct from there to Orlando.  It was very humid , as expected, but the sunshine felt great.  After getting checked into the hotel and settled a bit, we headed out to the Magic Kingdom for some dinner and a few hours of playing.  For the entire trip, we decided to keep the kids on Pacific time so that we could stay out later at night.  It also meant late morning sleeping, but overall it worked well keeping the kids' schedule like this.  Nana and Pops came with us, and it was great to have them along and we certainly welcomed the extra hands.  We had a great time, although it was definitely a lot of work to keep up with the kiddos. 

Coming home, on our last day Dave spent the morning keeping the boys occupied while I scrambled to get us packed up.  We checked out, had the hotel hold our stuff and then went to the Animal Kingdom for a couple of hours.  It was dinner time by the time our flight took off for Seattle.  The flights went well, although it was after 11:00pm Pacific time by the time we landed.  When we went to pick up our bags we discovered that Dave's was missing :(  Then, on the drive home I received a call from the person who apparently took the wrong bag and hadn't checked the tags.  We detoured to go and pick up his bag, quite thankful to have it in hand, and finally made it home.  Upon arriving home and depositing the kids in bed, we discovered that Mocha had peed all over our bed during our absence.  Quite unhappy, but exhausted, we slept in the guest bed.  It was very good to be home, though!!

Magic Kingdom:  I couldn't begin to count the number of days we spent at Magic Kingdom.  It was definitely where we spent the most time and had the most fun.  By far, Eric's favorite ride was Small World, which he rode at least 8 times.  Any time we tried to take him on a dark ride, even if it was a kids ride, he tended to freak out and throw a small fit.  His other favorite ride was the Tea Cups (with lots of spinning).  He also loved visiting the characters, especially Mickey.  Every evening we had to know exactly when the fireworks would start and do our best to 'hide' from them.  Even with his ear covers, Eric was completely freaked out by the fireworks and each evening as it began to get dark he would want to go and find the bus to go back to our hotel. 

Nick liked everything and was especially happy when we let him out of the stroller to walk.  He wasn't scared of anything.  Probably the biggest struggle with Nick was getting him a halfway decent nap in the stroller.  One afternoon after we were in the pool for a while, we went back to the hotel room to get cleaned up and Nick proceeded to lay down on the floor and start to go to sleep.  We quickly put him in the crib and Eric spent some time in Nana and Pops' room while Nick got a nap.

Videos: Meeting Mickey #1, Starlight Parade, Autotopia, High Fives and Meeting Mickey #2

Epcot:  We were at Epcot for one full day, plus went back for dinner one night.  On our last full day we also spent the early part of the day there and then rode the monorail to the Magic Kingdom.  Both boys really enjoyed the Nemo aquarium.  There were lots of cool fish and animals to see.  We also were able to see lots of characters here.  On our last full day we went on a Donald Water ride in the Mexico area and Eric loved it so much we just had to go a second time. 

Video: Epcot Aquarium

Animal Kingdom:  We spent a full day at Animal Kingdom, and then went back for a couple of hours on our very last day before flying out.  We saw a lot of animals and particularly enjoyed the safari ride and those animals.  There was also a dinosaur area with lots of little kid stuff and a play area where the boys could explore and run around and cool off in the water.  But, almost everywhere we went, all they wanted to do was find sticks and play in the dirt.  Boys will be boys!!

Videos: Nick Sliding and Boys Cooling Off

Hollywood Studios:  We spent one day at Hollywood Studios.  They had a 'Honey I Shrunk the Kids' play area that the boys had fun exploring.  Dave and Pops had fun going on the 'Star Tours' ride, going on it five times!!  There weren't too many things for little kids, but they did have a great (indoor and air-conditioned!!) area to meet several of the characters.

'Other': Both boys did really well on all of the flights.  Between movies, toys, books, eating and sleeping they were pretty well occupied.  The hotel had a great one-foot kiddie pool that both kids really enjoyed spending time in.  We spent a couple of days at the pool, staying there while Dave was doing conference stuff.  Then later in the day we would head to a park.  One day we went to Downtown Disney, mostly to go to the Lego store.  It was a good day to go as there were thunderstorms while we were shopping.  Eric was quite overwhelmed trying to choose a Lego set to bring home.

May 27, 2011 - Last day of preschool and the preschool end-of-year picnic (held in the gym due to weather).

May 26, 2011 - Today was the last day of Eric's regular preschool (he still has Friday Playgroup tomorrow).  It's hard to believe this year is already over.  Here Eric is with his two teachers, Mrs. Broome and Mrs. Scott.  Tonight, Grandpa came over for dinner as Grammy is out of town for the week and he entertained the boys while I worked on making dinner.

May 25, 2011 - I took the boys in for haircuts this morning.  Only three days until our trip!!

May 23, 2011 - I called the dentist first thing this morning and went ahead and took him in to get checked.  There was no permanent damage, thankfully, and the dentist told me about a few things to keep an eye out for, but otherwise he should be fine.  We'll see how the sleeping goes the next few days- the teeth are pretty sharp and he sucks his thumb to go to sleep.

May 22, 2011 - Nick was super cranky today, not sure why.  Then, tonight, he fell again in the bathtub :(  He landed with his front teeth on the edge of the tub and chipped his top two front teeth.  Needless to say, he was not a happy camper tonight.  Looks like I'll be calling the dentist in the morning...

May 20, 2011 - Nick said 'bird' and 'water' today!  Also, Eric rode a regular bike for the first time today.  A neighbor is letting us borrow the one her boys started on, but first he and Daddy had to re-attach the training wheels.

  Video: Eric's First Bike Ride

May 19, 2011 - This morning was 'move-up' day at preschool, where his class spent part of the morning in next year's classroom.  He had a great time exploring Miss Susan's class.

  Videos: Nick Eating Mommy's Ice Cream and Nick Dancing to Dinosaur Train

May 18, 2011 - Grammy came over for dinner tonight as Grandpa is out of town for the week.  Dave was also happy to have extra hands as I had an evening event.

May 17, 2011 - This morning I took Nick in for his 18-month check-up.  He weighed in at 21 lb., 10oz., down around the 5th percentile.  But, his doctor isn't concerned about his weight at all.  Most of the appointment was focused on developmental questions, and Nick passed just fine and she has no concerns.  And no shots today!! :)  I also noticed that his tooth #17 finally popped through, so that should be the last of new teeth until his 2-year molars. 

May 16, 2011 - Eric being funny and having fun.

May 15, 2011 - Grammy and Grandpa have officially moved in to their house!!  We went over there for a few hours today, mostly to deliver lunch and see the house again. 

May 14, 2011 - Last week we bought goggles for the boys to use at swimming and while we are in Florida.  Nick did surprisingly well with them and had no problems keeping them on during swim class.  He is doing really well in the water, even having fun!!  Such a difference from the first class.   Also, last night Grammy and Grandpa arrived and will stay with us until tomorrow, when their moving truck arrives.

        Video: Nick Slide at Swimming

May 13, 2011 - Today was the warmest day of the year so far, so we had lots of outside time.  Nick especially had a lot of fun playing in the dirt.  Dave spent the day driving Grandpa's car up from California.  They are moving this weekend!!

May 12, 2011 - I bought our Disney World park tickets this afternoon :)  It's trip planning time!!

May 10, 2011 - This morning I helped out in Eric's classroom and had fun helping the kids with their 'fly-swatter painting'.  It was quite messy!!

May 9, 2011 - Video: Nick Playing the Guitar

May 8, 2011 - For Mother's Day today we decided to go out to breakfast at a new location and ended up waiting forever for a table.  Don't think we'll be going back there!!  After eating, Nana and I headed down to the outlet stores for some shopping.  It was so nice to shop without any kids!! 

Video: Eric's Mother's Day Song

May 6, 2011 - Eric woke up with a bit of a cold, so I kept him home from preschool this morning.  He also decided to get himself all dressed up!

May 4, 2011 - Nick has started saying 'ah-choo' and pretending to sneeze.  Very cute :) Video from tonight: Boys Playing in Living Room Fort

May 3, 2011 - Nick fell lots today.  After dropping Eric off at preschool he did a face-plant on the carpet and now has several scratches on his face.  Then, during lunch, he finally tipped his chair all the way back and onto the floor.  Hopefully he has now learned not to do that!

May 2, 2011 - Eric spent the morning over at Liam's house for another playdate.  He had a great time and can't wait to go back. 

April 30, 2011 - This morning was swimming lesson #4 for this session.  Nick has become a completely different kid in the water now.  He loves getting in, and especially loves going underneath the water and down the slide.  Dave thinks he has a future dive partner in him!!

April 28, 2011 - We had two of Dave's coworkers over for dinner tonight and I had to take this picture of everyone playing 'Go Fish' together :)

April 27, 2011 - It's a week for check-ups.  This morning it was taking Eric to the allergist.  They re-tested some allergens, including peanut, and confirmed that he still has the allergy.  No changes.  Eric wasn't thrilled with having the 'pokey things' done, but overall he did really well.  Dave was able to stay home with Nick, so that helped a lot.  Video: Nick Drumming in Kitchen

April 25, 2011 - This morning I took Eric in to the dentist for a check-up and cleaning.  He did really well and even let them clean his teeth.  His teeth look great!!  As for Nick, they basically confirmed that he has an extra tooth but were not at all concerned about it.  When he gets closer to age 5 they will do x-rays to see if there is an extra permanent tooth, but for now he just has an extra chomper!!

April 24, 2011 - Happy Easter!!  Eric (and Nick a little) had fun hunting for Easter eggs this morning at home.  We then headed up to Nana and Pops' for the day.  Grammy and Grandpa left mid-afternoon to head back to California.  Videos: Nick Easter Basket and Nick and the Wind-up Bunny

April 23, 2011 - We had a gorgeous day today.  It was a perfect morning for our neighborhood Easter egg hunt at the park.  Eric had fun getting the eggs, but Nick spent most of the time just trying to figure out what was going on.  The boys then had lots of backyard time before and after rest time this afternoon. 

I also noticed today that Nick has another tooth coming in, #16.  I am now pretty sure that he has an extra tooth on his upper left side.  He still has room for one more canine tooth on the bottom, which would give him 17 teeth.  He should have 16 teeth at this point, with only his four 2-year molars left.  Eric has a dentist appointment on Monday for a cleaning, so I'll ask them about it then.

April 22, 2011 - Busy day today:  Nick had fun playing at home this morning while Eric was at preschool, Eric had fun getting all dressed up during rest time and building some cool Legos, both boys had fun with Grammy and Grandpa on the swings, the ducks had fun on our roof, Nick loved getting ice cream from each of us, but especially Grandpa, and we successfully decorated Easter eggs tonight.  Whew!! 

Video: Kids on Swings

April 21, 2011 - This morning was the Special Someone's Tea at preschool and I had a great time going with Eric.  He had fun this afternoon playing firefighter with Grammy.

April 20, 2011 - This morning Eric's friend, Liam, from preschool came over for a play date.  The boys had a great time and it was really cute to watch them play together.  Later this afternoon Grammy and Grandpa arrived for a few-day stay.  They signed papers for their new house and will hopefully be moving soon!

April 19, 2011 - We went and visited Dave at his office today and ate lunch there.  He is moving to a new office location soon (larger site and further away), so it was nice to see this office one last time.  This afternoon after rest time the boys had fun watercolors.  Nick's is just water on some special paper that dries quickly.

April 13, 2011 - Some outdoor pics from today.  We had a nice hail storm this afternoon, but that didn't scare away the ducks.  Our neighbors have at least two pairs of ducks who like to live in/near their swimming pool this time of year and we caught one of the pairs hanging out on their roof.

April 12, 2011 - This morning we had the carpets/rug/furniture cleaned, so I had to lock Nick up in the kitchen.  He did pretty well, especially when I gave him the newspaper to play with.  This afternoon the weather was decent enough that Eric and I spent some time in the backyard.  He had lots of fun in the dirt!!

April 11, 2011 - Video: Nick Walking!!

April 9, 2011 - This morning the boys had their first swimming lesson for this session.  This was Nick's very first time in a swimming pool.  He was pretty unsure of what was going on beforehand and definitely did not have fun in the pool.  He loves taking a bath, so this surprised us.  Tonight, we got together with Nana, Pops, Uncle Michael and Brenna, and Nana had fun teaching Eric about pool. 

                  Video: Nick's First Swim Lesson and Eric Swim Session #4

April 7, 2011 - Look at those curls....

    Videos: Nick Drumming on the Baby Gate and Nick Playing with Drill

April 6, 2011 - Cooking himself in the pot....

April 5, 2011 - Here's a picture from playtime with Daddy after dinner.  Also, Nick spent a good portion of the day bringing us his shoes.  I guess he wanted to go out!!

April 4, 2011 - Nick is now walking almost all the time and has even begun doing laps through the kitchen and living room.  He said 'shoe' today (he loves playing with the shoes in the shoe basket, so that's not a surprise).  He also stuck his tongue out at Dave during dinner after Dave wanted him to eat more food before having some ice cream.  Too funny!!  At least for now.... :) 

Videos: Boys Push Car and Nick More Ice Cream

April 3, 2011 - Dave and Eric went to the swap meet today.  I stayed home with Nick and at nap he gave me a goodnight love and kiss :)  He has become quite cuddly and sweet the last few days.

    Videos: Pulling Nick in the Red Car and Nick Empties his Bookcase

April 2, 2011 - Eric woke up this morning with an upset stomach.  He felt so bad after getting sick that he went right back to sleep for a while.  Needless to say, we missed our first morning of swimming with both boys having lessons at the same time.  Thankfully, by lunch Eric felt much better and was back to his normal self.

March 31, 2011 - This morning was Bike Day at preschool, so Eric took his tricycle with him.  This afternoon Nick took almost 25 steps on his own, walking from the living room TV to Eric's chair in the dining room.  I guess he's walking now!!

March 29, 2011 - I picked Eric up from preschool this morning and was told that one of the little girls in his class gave him a kiss.  Yikes!!!!  Also, this afternoon we went for a walk and Nick said 'dog'.  I didn't know he knew that word!

March 28, 2011 - We returned home today, and as Dave carried Nick onto the plane he thought he heard Nick say 'airplane'.  Eric made this Lego creation during his rest time this afternoon- his version of an airplane :)

March 27, 2011 - We headed up into San Francisco for lunch and for the afternoon today.  Our 'last chance' to see the city for a while!!  When we returned to Grammy and Grandpa's house Nick had some more fun emptying one of Grammy's cupboards.  He's helping her 'pack' up her kitchen :)  Also, today I noticed that Nick has two more teeth coming in, for a total of 15 now.

March 26, 2011 - We drove down to Monterey today and spent the day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  The boys loved seeing all of the fish and animals.

                                  Video: Nick Touch Pool

March 25, 2011 - Eric went with Daddy and Grandpa this morning to a paving construction site and spent time checking out all of the vehicles.  The rest of the day we just spent hanging around the house.

                Video: Playing Piano with Grammy

March 23, 2011 - This morning we got up super early and headed to the airport for a trip down to visit Grammy and Grandpa before they leave the Bay Area.  The flight ended up being about 2 hours delayed, so it was unfortunate we had to get up so early, but the kids did fine on the flight.  Once we got to their house Nick found lots of things to get into and Eric was in Lego heaven playing with all of Dave/Doug's old Legos.

March 22, 2011 - Here are a few of Eric's Lego creations:

March 21, 2011 - Eric's last swim class for the session- today was boat safety day.

        Video: Eric on the Slide

March 20, 2011 - We set up one of the tunnels in the living room today and the boys had fun playing together in it.

March 19, 2011 - We spent the morning at the Roadster show and all the boys seemed to enjoy seeing cars again.  It has been awhile.  Eric really enjoyed taking pictures with his camera.

March 18, 2011 - Nick started blowing kisses today.  Melts my heart :)

March 15, 2011 - This morning I took Nick in to the allergist to determine how to proceed with peanuts, given Eric's allergy.  They did allergy testing and he is fine with peanuts and other nuts (yay!!) but, surprisingly, he is allergic to eggs.  I have actually given him eggs before but he usually doesn't eat too much of them.  We'll keep giving them to him every once in a while and see how he does. 

This afternoon Nick really started to try walking!!  Several times he stood up on his own and took 4-6 steps each time.  Video: Nick Taking Steps #2

March 13, 2011 - Daddy and Nicholas playing around on the couch.

March 12, 2011 - This morning Dave took Eric up to Nana and Pops' to stay over for the night.  All he can talk about is playing with the Legos there!!  The house was so much quieter with only Nicholas at home.  We also captured these cute pictures of him trying to play with the dishwasher, his favorite thing to play with these days.  He loves to 'help' us with the dishes :)  Nick also discovered the stacking cups today.  Video: Nick Stacking Cups

March 11, 2011 - The last few preschool days Eric has cried during drop-off and he did it again today :(  I hope we soon figure out what is going on!  On the other hand, here's a video of him from this evening:  Eric as a Ghost

March 10, 2011 - This morning I took Nick in for his weight check and 15-month shots.  His weight was up to 21 pounds, so we received the ok to take Nick off of his reflux meds.  Yay!!  He also had his shots and really didn't like that part.  Later today we caught this picture of him after he stood up on his own.

  Video: Nick Taking Steps and Monkey See, Monkey Do

March 7, 2011 - Video: Nick Walking with the Push Toy

March 6, 2011 - Nick took six 'baby' steps tonight!!

March 5, 2011 - Grammy and Grandpa arrived yesterday for a quick weekend visit for the inspection for their new house!!  Today we went back over to the house to see it and Eric thought the little bridge in the front yard was really cute.

March 3, 2011 - These pictures show the progression of our day today.  The morning started off with Dave taking Eric to preschool for the annual 'Munch with Men' breakfast and Eric had a great time showing off his classroom to Daddy.  We ate spaghetti for dinner tonight and Nick definitely needed a bath afterwards. 

Then, while in the bathtub, Nick slipped and hit his chin on the edge of the tub.  Lots of blood and crying....he split open his chin.  It looked deeper than a usual cut so I spoke with the advice nurse and she thought he would need stitches.  Of course, by now the pediatrician's office was closed so Nick and I headed off to the ER.  We had to wait 2 hours before being seen by the doctor, around 10:45, and Nick needed three stitches.  Ironically, the gown they gave us for him had fish all over it with the saying of 'splish spash I was taking a bath'.  Too funny.

By the time they were ready to begin the stitches Nick was exhausted and done and I had to sing to him to keep him happy.  The doctor kept on singing for me while he put in the stitches and two nurses held him down.  I knew there was no way that I could hold him down and it worked out well as I was there to 'rescue him' when they were done with the stitches.  My poor baby :(  Nick fell asleep while we waited to be released and then was happy as a clam.  We finally got home at midnight and he quickly fell asleep.

March 2, 2011 - Eric enjoying his first blue raspberry sucker.

March 1, 2011 - Today Nick began standing up on his own, in the middle of the room without holding on to anything, and did this several times.  He has also become quite the 'monkey-see, monkey-do', mimicking us whenever he can.

February 26, 2011 - Nick seems to really enjoy the warming drawer!!

February 24, 2011 - This has been a week of firsts for Nick- shoes, haircut and today- snow!!  We had a bit more than a dusting and were able to play outside in it for a bit before it melted.  Nick really didn't like it but Eric had a great time.  During his afternoon quiet time he even built a Lego snowplow (all his creation). 

                     Video: Nick's First Snow

February 23, 2011 - Nick had his first haircut this morning.  He did really well and particularly enjoyed the combs :)  After the haircuts, we went home and had friends over for a playdate.  Here's a video of Eric and Siena Singing the ABCs.

February 22, 2011 - This morning bought Nick his first pair of real shoes.  He's not walking on his own yet, but he's close enough to walking with us that I want to have something on hand to use.  I'll probably have Nick use Eric's old shoes in the future (most are in pretty decent condition) but I figure he needs to have his own 'first' pair.

February 21, 2011 - Dave finally caught the sick bug we all had a week ago :(  Tonight we took some pictures of Nick's curls as he has his first haircut in a couple of days.  Also, here's a video from this morning of Nick and his Blue Giraffe.

February 20, 2011 - Nick has discovered the warming drawer!! 

February 19, 2011 - Today we had some sun and enjoyed it through the kitchen windows :)  Eric also enjoyed coloring with Grammy and Grandpa.

February 18, 2011 - Nick still has a fever so I took him back in to the doctor today and he an ear infection in both ears.  So, we'll be starting antibiotics.  Also, today Grammy and Grandpa arrived for the weekend to begin to look at houses! :)

February 16, 2011 - Playing with olives :)

February 15, 2011 - Eric is still on the mend and was able to go to preschool this morning and enjoy his Valentine's Day party.  I took Nick in for his 15-month check-up this morning.  His height is 31" (50th percentile), but his weight is almost the same as three months ago- 20 lb. 5 oz.  Since he has been sick the doctor wasn't too concerned.  He also couldn't have his shots today, so I'll take him back in a few weeks for a weight check and shots.  We're also going to keep him on his reflux meds until we have a good weight.

February 14, 2011 - Eric was well enough to go to swimming this morning, but Nick and I are still feeling pretty miserable.

February 13, 2011 - Double Ugh....now Nick's caught it!!  He has a fever today, but was at least happy enough to play some Peek-a-boo with Daddy and the camera :)

February 12, 2011 - Ugh....now I've got Eric's sick bug :(  Ick.  Here are some pictures from Eric's attempt at having a fort in the living room.

February 11, 2011 - Now Eric's asthma has started.... :(

February 10, 2011 - Eric's fever is gone but he now definitely has a cold :(

February 9, 2011 - Eric still has a fever, day 3, and now is coughing and sniffling more.  So, no preschool tomorrow either.  We're getting a bit house stir crazy (especially me!).  On the plus side, today was our dating anniversary (14 years!) and Dave brought home a lovely red rose for me.  :)  Tonight I had to take a picture of Nick.  He was quite messy after a dinner that included lasagna and chocolate cupcake.

February 7, 2011 - I woke up late this morning, rushed through the shower and getting ready, and then as we were eating breakfast I realized that Eric might have a fever.  Yep, he had a 103 fever all day, so no swimming this morning and he won't be going to preschool tomorrow.  Really, no other symptoms other than a bit of a cough.

February 6, 2011 - Today we met up with Nana and Pops for brunch, to celebrate Nana's birthday a few days early, and then they came over to watch the Superbowl with us.  Nana even took a little nap in Eric's bed! :)

February 5, 2011 - Where is Eric??  He has begun playing 'hide and seek' with us, and it is quite fun!

February 1, 2011 - First, for Eric note the pink hands in the picture.  Apparently they used lots of purple paint at preschool today!  As for Nick, after arriving home from preschool Nick stood up on his own several times in a row, each time standing for several seconds.  Yay!!!  Today I also stopped giving Nick a bottle at naptime.  He is now down to two bottles a day.

January 30, 2011 - Nick is feeling better.  His fever lasted only the one day and he definitely has a cold, but seems to be on the mend today.  Also, he has begun walking with his push toy!!

Video: Nick Walking with the Push Toy

January 28, 2011 - Nick has a fever tonight and is beginning to have a drippy nose as well.  :(

January 27, 2011 - Today was PJ day at preschool.  Today was also the day I had signed up to help out in Eric's classroom, even before I knew about PJ day.  My 'job' at preschool was to help the kids make their pancakes as they made breakfast for today's activities.  Eric even squeezed fresh orange juice for me :)  I had a great time and I think Eric really enjoyed having me there.  Nick had a Daddy morning and the two enjoyed building and knocking down blocks together.  Eric crashed late today and, for some reason, thought it would be a good idea to sleep behind his door.  Finally, we had spaghetti for dinner tonight and Nick really enjoyed it!  It's funny.  Eric likes everything plain, such as no sauce on his pasta, and Nick refuses to eat it plain.  He wants the sauce!  Two completely different kids.  Oh, and Nick tried standing up a couple more times today, but he doesn't quite have the balance yet. 

January 26, 2011 - Eric all bundled up before heading into the backyard.  He lasted about 10 minutes before wanting to come back inside.

January 25, 2011 - Before I even woke the boys up, I already had a kid getting into trouble!  Mocha decided to jump into the fireplace.  Why, I have no idea.  I managed to catch his picture before he jumped out and knocked the screen down.  I call him my third kid for a reason! 

This week is Wacky Week at preschool and today was hat day.  Eric chose to wear his firefighter hat.  After dropping Eric off and getting Nick his breakfast and myself some coffee, we headed to a store where Nick proceeded to say 'hi' all throughout the store, to just about anything.  Quite cute.  This afternoon Nick, Eric and I were hanging out on Eric's bed (trying to wake him from a late nap) and Nick stood up for a split second.  It probably would have lasted longer if Eric hadn't been bouncing around.  Finally, tonight we went out to pizza buffet for dinner and Eric had a lime sucker for his dessert.  Nice green tongue!

January 24, 2011 - Eric playing with the blue flubber we made this morning, and Nick mischievous and getting into things!

January 22, 2011 - Nick has begun waving and saying 'hi'.  VERY cute!  Today when I went in to get him after nap he was standing up at the edge of his crib and he looked up at me and waved and said 'hi' at the same time.

January 16, 2011 - Tonight we celebrated my birthday, a few days early, with a nice dinner out with Nana and Pops and then birthday apple pie. 

January 15, 2011 - This afternoon/evening we headed to a pizza/play place for our annual playgroup birthday party.  Eric wasn't too crazy about the areas for older kids, so he ended spending a lot of his time in the 0-2 area.

January 14, 2011 - Today Nick and stayed home after taking Eric to preschool.  While I did some things in the kitchen he found himself in the toy corner, completely absorbed in his toys and in his own little world.  So nice and sweet.  After lunch, Dave arrived home!  Yay for having Daddy home!!

January 12, 2011 - Nick is 14 months old today!  This morning I noticed that he is starting to cruise along vertical and multiple surfaces.  So, for example, he walked (albeit slowly) along a wall and will also go from the sofa to the side table.  Tonight was supposed to be a night off for me (bunco) but the sitter is sick :(  Bummer.

January 10, 2011 - The boys are beginning to play together more and more and it is really cute to watch.  Here Eric is 'hiding' from Nick as Nick tries to get him.

January 9, 2011 - This morning we headed up to Nana and Pops' for the day, to give us a nice break while Dave is gone.  The kids had a great time hanging out there for the day.  Nick especially enjoyed emptying the Tupperware lid drawer and Eric even took a nap!

January 7, 2011 - Dave left this morning for a trip to Israel.  He'll be gone for a week.  :(

January 4, 2011 - Nick's 4th molar (bottom left) has finally popped through.  He now has a total of 12 teeth.  Hopefully he can have a bit of a break from teething for a bit!

January 3, 2011 - Eric's swimming lessons started up again today.  He was nervous, having a new teacher, but he did good.  Afterwards, we headed to Costco.  I forgot Nick's shopping cart cover at home, so I ended up putting both boys in the seat of the shopping cart.  That's the nice things about the larger carts at Costco.  Anyway, at one point in the store Eric turned to Nick and gave him a nice hug.  Then Nick hugged him back!  They did this back and forth for several minutes and it was very sweet.  Just wish I had a video camera with me...

January 2, 2011 - Just a cute picture from today.  Oh, and I'm feeling so much better this afternoon.  My throat is still sore and tender, but I can actually talk and swallow.  Thank goodness for medicine!

January 1, 2011 - Happy New Year!!  Well...not so much.  I felt MUCH worse today so Dave made a bunch of phone calls for me and we found an open urgent care clinic.  Yep, I have strep.  Thankfully the pharmacy was open today and I was able to get my antibiotics.