Getting excited for Spring!

After all the sickness and cold, we are ready for Spring! It was a nice day and we all needed the fresh air, so we took awalk around the trail by our house.

strolling along

lounging and enjoying the ride

The boys' first swimming lessons

The boys started their lessons today at Foss Swim School. It didn't go well, but it could have been worse. The boys had just gotten over being sick and still weren't back to normal, it was Nate's birthday and we had a lot going on and we were rushed and late getting there. But they made it through and I have no doubt that it will get better over time.

Chris and Nate getting reading to start their lesson

Xander learning to put his face in the water. That is his teacher, Eddie. For some reason, I always expect to hear him say "Dude!" when I see him. He just looks like someone who would say that a lot!

Xander's "smile" that shows just how miserable he is

Nate isn't having such a good time either. He whined for over half the class.

Baby Nate turns one (and is still my BABY!)

Nate admiring his cake


I took the frosting off of a chunk and put some whipped cream on it for him. A little easier on the tummy and he enjoyed it very much

ready to eat the plate!

opening presents, with a little help from Xander, of course!

Nate's HUGE penguin!

While Chris got Xander to bed, I got to sit quietly, rock and nurse my Baby Nate to sleep. I told him all about the day he was born - every moment that is seared into my mind. It was the perfect way to celebrate the exact time he was born, one year ago. This was the fastest year of my life!

Happy Birthday, my little Pumpkin Seed!

More birthday photos

spending a little quiet time with grandpa

close up of his cake

Our friend Jordana's little baby Madeline. Isn't she a doll!?!

Hold me!!!

We are going through a little bit of seperation anxiety at our house. Nate is walking now and has a bunch of teeth trying to surface, so it was expected. But since he is not a big talker, his favorite mode of communication is yelling at me! Good thing he is usually such a sweet, laid back baby. I can handle the yelling...for now.

MOMMY!

momma..momma..momma.....

I don't even know how to spell what this WHINE sounds like!

Easter

The Easter Bunny left the boys a basket of treats and hid a bunch of eggs for them to find this morning. Holidays are even more fun with two of them running around! Hard to believe that last year, Nate was a brand new baby who slept on the whole day.

My little hunny-bunny
and my baby blossom, too!

everyone getting into the spirit!
Trying out the window markers that were in the basket
Xander having fun going through all the prizes in the plastic eggs. Bunny is good at leaving more coins and less candy at our house. :)

Easter eggs

Rather than help color eggs, Nate would rather hang out under the table

Xander admiring Chris' artistic abilities

Easter party!

We went to Noni's house for and Easter party. Lots of fun, food and friends! Noni always throws the best shindigs and this time she out did herself. So many eggs filled with goodies! Nate had a blast at his first Easter party and first party being mobile. Xander, of course, did not want to leave. Who could blame him?

Nate admiring all the pretty colors

Xander with his pail loaded with eggs

Checking out the booty

Lew looking nervous as Nate threatens to confiscate his toy. Watch out Nate, mommy has her eye on you!

Temporarily out of order :-(

Too many days of sickness to count! Influenza has taken over our home the past few weeks and held us all hostage. Just awful. It started out with Chris and then moved on to Xander (the two strongest immune systems, strangely enough). Xander ended up with the flu and double ear infections. He was miserable with high fever everyday for a week and took him quite a while to bounce back. But still he insists that his ears don't hurt, but they were a bit plugged. Anyway, just as he started perking up and getting close to ready to venture out of the house, Nate woke up all with a fever. I took one look at him and knew we were doomed! But in true Nate fashion, he handled it like it was nothing. That would have been wonderful had it ended there, but seeing as I spent my days wiping their snotty, germ filled noses, I wasn't going to get out of getting sick. And apparently, Nate's super, virus fighting abilities are due to the fact that he drained all of my immunities out of me! I went down like a ton of bricks! After spending 5 days on the couch miserable, I am finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. I have a lot of catching up to do with a lot of stuff around the house and sorting through photos and posting them on here is one of my tasks I need to work on. I will get to it as soon as I can. In the mean time, I just wanted to post this adorable photo of Xander's new favorite hobby - spelling!

Three weeks of influenza hell!

It started with Chris for severals days, took down Xander for 9 days, bothered Nate for only a couple of days and then finally wiped me out for 5 days (plus the sinus infection for over a week after that). It was pretty much hell at our house. Xander finally got his first ear infection and it was a doozie! Both ears and super strong meds for it. Oddly enough, and in true Xander fashion, they didn't hurt him one bit! He obviously handles them better than I did as a kid. I am just glad that we are over it!

Nate can't resist to bug Xander when he's down. Pay back!
Sick little boy!
Starting to feel better