5.25.11 beach trip - first evening

 Andrew was really excited about the water at first...

 And then he changed his mind...

 And much crying ensued...

5.23.11 beach - putt putt

We love to play putt-putt at the beach and feel that any beach trip must include this tradition.  We started when we were first married and have continued until our first family of 3 beach trip when Caleigh was only 7 months old and we are still going strong.  Although I am aware that one day it will be outrageously expensive for us all the play... we'll tackle that bridge when we get there.

 How do you help a lefty hit the ball when you are a righty?  It's very challenging...

 Andrew enjoyed all of it - especially whacking things with his club and jumping off the obstacles...

 We'll have to work on his form...

Maybe not the golfer of the family?  Yes, Caleigh, you must learn at a young age - golfing is so frustrating sometimes -

 Mostly because she is such a typical first child - people pleasing perfectionist that she is she really wanted to get it right (as she does with most things).

5.20.11 post dinner playtime

 "cheese"

 the fish face that we've been seeing so much of lately -

5.18.11 the end of the school year

It's the end of the school year for Caleigh and everything is wrapping up at once.  She finished up her semester long gymnastics class which she loved and really learned a lot in - like how to tumble well and she finally got up some courage to jump in the cheese pit (big foam pit) from the trampoline by herself without the teacher holding her hand.  A big milestone for her for sure.

 Can't believe how much longer and thinner her legs have gotten since this picture was taken - she looks like a baby to me in the pictures!

 Caleigh's preschool year wrapped up this week to - well, actually next week but we are headed to the beach.  We have LOVED her teachers this year - they were such a blessing to us - and Caleigh loved school.  Can't believe it is over already!  Caleigh and Ms. Judy -

 Ms. Beverly and Caleigh -

5.8.11 park pics

Enjoying these last days of spring.

 Mommy likes to play too.

 Me and my mini-me.

 The double swing... the ultimate in fun.

5.5.11 messy yogurt face

Love those clear blue eyes - but seriously... how does an almost 2 year old get SO messy... all in his hair, etc... So different from my sweet clean particular Caleigh!

daddy's boy

Andrew and his daddy.  Andrew is going through a MAJOR daddy phase.  He wakes up in the morning and from naps saying, "daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy."  He only wants Adam to hold him.  He always wants to, "match daddy" (like with their matching boat shoes or matching sunglasses).

Can you see now, daddy?

Who? Me? I'm not doing anything...

I love these pictures of my boys.  I love that Andrew so loves his daddy and I am so thankful for Adam, that he is such a good daddy to this sweet little guy.

5.2.11 chalk

girls and boys

On the way to church this morning Caleigh said, "Mommy, Andrew likes bugs... and he likes trucks...  I like rainbows, and purple, and birdies."

Caleigh hit the nail on the head - Caleigh and Andrew are total opposites.  I love seeing such innate gender differences between Caleigh and Andrew.

Andrew loves all things boy - he is SUCH a boy which I am so thankful for and I so much adore - he loves balls, throwing things (which he is actually really good at - kid's got an arm), being loud, squashing bugs and picking up beetles and throwing them (at me - EW!), jumping off of stuff.  He does like books a lot right now - some of his favorites being Brown Bear, Brown Bear and Goodnight Moon and Little Gorilla.  He hates being groomed - haircuts, cutting fingernails or toenails, brushing teeth - dislikes it all.  Although he is such a boy I am so thankful that he is also so sweet, so tender (at times) - he loves us and he loves his sister.  I am thankful that by God's grace we haven't had any hitting or biting issues at all or seen anything aggressive from him.  He is strong-willed and wants to get his way and gives a hilarious grouchy face when he doesn't or when he is disciplined (which makes it very difficult not to laugh when I am supposed to be disciplining him).  He is polite and becoming so verbal.  My sweet almost 2 year old boy.

Caleigh is such a girls' girl - so so girly which is an experience for me as I was such a tom-boy growing up.  She is so affectionate and so naturally nurturing.  She loves to come up and say, "I want to give you a big hug" or "Let me just give you a kiss real quick."  She is such a sweet sweet girl.  She loves babies, clothes - mostly dresses - I can hardly get her to wear anything else... she loves to help cook, she loves drawing and crafts and puzzles.  She likes quiet toys and LOVES books.  I love catching her with Andrew sitting in her lap and her reading to him.  She is so compassionate - genuinely caring so much about others.  She loves being groomed (unless you are washing or brushing her hair) - she loves haircuts and getting her fingernails and toenails painted.  She loves to dress up in high heels.  She talks all the time, though we have started speech therapy to work on pronunciation.  She is such a girly girl and we are so thankful for this sweet 3 and 1/2 year old.

So thankful for these sweet kids and the joy that it is to parent them.