Spring Break

 Jacob really wanted to spend spring break with his cousins, so we made the trip up north for a few days.  It worked out really well because their cousins have spring break next week, but Travis happened to have a few days off from Kindergarten.  Now that Maddie, Travis, and Jacob are all in school, time spent together is even more precious!

So we started off at Jungle Playland, where Jacob celebrated his fourth birthday.  Casey was a little too timid to climb up in the playland area with the big kids, so he stuck with the cars and games.

 

 Peeking out the monkey

 

 Hi- YAH!

 Timing the slide all together just right...

The rock wall

 Grammy really wanted a picture together with her "boys".  I'm a little shocked at how well they cooperated!

 My boys and their cousin Travis!

 His facial expressions crack me up!

 Wait!  Don't go yet...

 Grammy wants a picture!

 Ice cream!

 Maddie is a little distraught that her baby cousin is growing up.  She used to rock him, feed him, read stories to him, cuddle with him, carry him everywhere she went... and just can't figure out why he isn't interested anymore.  I tried to explain that he is just "two" and wants to do everything by himself now. Then she gives me this sigh of disappointment that breaks my heart.  :(

 We celebrated my mom's birthday.  Casey was more than happy to help her blow out the candles.  He kept saying, "Grammy bir-bay!  Happy bir-bay!  Grammy blow da candles!"

 Grammy with her one and only girl!  (Later that night, I was looking at picture books with my sister of when Maddie was a toddler.  I can't believe how grown up she is now... so beautiful inside and out too!  It was funny to see all the pictures of me before I had my boys.  I can't even remember life without them... whatever did I do with all that spare time?  Apparently, I spent it with my niece!)

 The next day, we went roller skating. 

 Travis and Jacob could do pretty well on their own, so my mom and I stuck with Gavin and Casey.

 This little nephew of mine cracks me up.  He was practically running on his skates!  What a determined little guy... even though he crashed repeatedly, within seconds he'd be right back up and running again.  :)

Grammy and Gavin

 Me and my Jakey.

 This roller skating stuff is hard work.

 Jacob is more than excited to be on spring break!  Especially the part where you sleep in everyday and don't have any homework.  ;)   He has been a super lucky boy with a fun place or playdate scheduled each day this week!

At two and a half...

Casey loves to help his momma bake!

Chocolate chip cookies are his fav... just like his daddy!  :)

 He is taking off with puzzles, just like his big brothers.  ;)  Casey will happily lay on his tummy and do a 24 piece Thomas puzzle anytime.

 He is determined to wear all of Gavin's gear and smack that ball right off the tee!

 Casey has caught the Woody and Buzz craze, almost to the point of officially overtaking Thomas.

He is still two though.  For sure.  Whining, crying, and full-blown 'throwing himself on the floor' tantrums are very much a part of his daily life.  Sometimes (like today) it is almost humorous!  I couldn't help but just smile and shake my head. 

 This is a picture of when Sy ate his first fruit snack.

 His second fruit snack.

 And his third fruit snack.  ;)

 Sy did that mommy! 

Ha!  Here are some other things that Casey is doing at age 2...

*When I put him to bed at night, I can hear him softly singing to himself.  Nothing could be sweeter.

*Every time he gets out of the bath, he stares in frightened bewilderment at his wrinkled fingers.  It totally cracks me up!

*I sing out loud all the time ~ whether it's familiar songs or songs I just make up on the spot.  I love how Casey, even with the random songs, gives me a huge smile and moves his head to the beat.

*He laughed at his first joke the other day.  Adam was trying to explain that he can't have toys at the dinner table.  To drive his point, he asked, "Does Jacob have a toy?"  Nooo.  "Does Gavin have a toy?"  Nooo.  "Does Sy have a toy?"  And Casey just busts out laughing at the thought of Sy at the dinner table with a toy.  Hilarious.
*He misses his brothers when they are at school!  Yesterday I walked Jacob to the school bus and my friend came to pick up Gavin for preschool.  Casey was totally distraught and said, "No Jacob kool bus!  No Gabin peeschool!  Want Gavin.  Want Jacob.  Where are dey?!"

*I know I'm bias, but sometimes I just look at him and can't get over how adorable he is.  Probably because he looks just like his daddy.  ;)

I LOVE my little two and a half year old... screaming tantrums and all!  :)

St. Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick's Day.  Usually I don't remember until the night before or even that morning (when I am frantically searching for green shirts for everyone to wear.  :)  Thankfully, this year I remembered the night before.... because I realized that Jacob did not have a green shirt ANYwhere.  Even though my husband totally didn't think it was necessary, I ran to Target and bought him one.  After all, nobody wants to be the boy without a green shirt on Saint Patrick's Day.  Right?...

I wanted to make some sort of special treat with the boys so I found this recipe for rainbow cupcakes.  Gavin especially is into mixing colors together to see what they make, so it was really fun to divide the cake batter into each color of the rainbow! 

 Here is how they turned out... yummy even.  ;)

 Jacob's kindergarten teacher went all out when it came to leprechauns "visiting the classroom" last year.  So he really wanted to leave a rainbow cupcake on our table... just in case a leprechaun came.  As I was tucking Jacob in, he begged me to leave out a shamrock word search and a green crayon.  He thought the leprechaun would love it.   I decided to play along, so Jacob woke up to an empty cupcake wrapper, a word search carefully completed with green crayon, and a note.  Oh... and lots of green milk.  ;)

 When I taught first grade, we used to set out leprechaun traps the day before.  The next morning, kids would enter the classroom and desks would be tipped over, notes and gold coins were left behind, and little green footprints were everywhere.  I didn't go to that extreme, but I did have some green paint to make a footprint on his note.  ;)

 Hope you had a good St. Patrick's Day!

Gavin's birthday

Gavin had a super special 5th birthday.  Actually, it kind of cracks me up how different he is than Jacob though.  Jacob is my boy who counts down to his birthday for days, sings birthday songs to himself, is bursting with excitement every second of his special day, and is devastated with tears when it has come to an end.   Gavin, following his daddy's mellow personality, is just really calm about it all.  Sure he asks how many days there are until his birthday and responds with, "Okay mommy" when you tell him.  When I asked him today if it was his birthday, he would say, "Yes, mommy."  You could definitely see this inner glow of excitement and pride, it was all just contained about 350% more than his big brother.

His Grammy drove down to spend his birthday with him and delivered presents first thing in the morning.

Gavin's request for breakfast was waffles with strawberries and whip cream, so Casey helped me make them.

Presents and waffles = one happy boy!

It was his special day at preschool and since my mom was at home with Casey, I got to volunteer!

Chapel.  I will always love and miss this about Cascade Christian preschool.  Singing songs about God, bible stories re-enacted, and praying together.  It's the best!

Upside-down CHEESE!

Sharing birthday cupcakes with his preschool friends.

Mmmmmm...!

Mommy stopped for a coffee on the way home and look what they made for Gavin!

Chocolate milk, whip cream, chocolate syrup, sprinkles, and a sucker.  What more could a birthday boy ask for?

After lunch, I took Jacob and Gavin to see Gnomeo and Juliet.  (I told Gavin he could go with mommy all by himself or he could bring Jacob.  He said he wanted to bring Jacob.  :)

I am so grateful to my mom... I would never have been able to do all of the things to make Gavin's day extra special without her!

We went to Red Robin for dinner...

... and came home to open more presents!  Another thing I find so endearing about Gavin is how much he appreciates each and every present.  He methodically opens each one and just glows with happiness no matter what it is.  I love watching him.

Gavin is obsessed with legos... and Toy Story.  So you can imagine how much he loves Toy Story legos!

I can't believe how quickly he caught on.  He just takes one step at a time, follows the directions to perfection, and quietly works until the masterpiece is finished!  I was amazed!

Blowing out five candles one last time...

And, well you know... Casey just really wanted to blow out a candle too.  ;)