Just Playing Together

January 26-February 1, 2015

"I want to be beautiful in the whole world so I need to put on my chapstick."
"Can we watch a movie as a family?" We've done it a couple of times over the past month and now he asks every day.
"Aaah! Monster!" - kids' favorite game to play

With the gorgeous weather, we tried to play outside as much as possible.

Monday we went to library story time (I've never seen it so packed!) and then ran around the maze and lawn area with our friends. We dropped off our van full of stuff to Goodwill before coming home to nap.

She loves to run away from us naked after she gets out of the bath.

They "fed" rocks to the statue bird by the library.

After naps, we met up with lots of friends at the park. Recently my kids' favorite thing to do at the park is run around the tennis courts. I like it because I can sit on the bench and talk while they are enclosed by the fence!

They like to bounce against the taut net.

We were surprised when we got home to find that the power was out. A construction crew had accidentally cut the power line. We gathered our candles and flashlights (and put new batteries in) and started up the grill to cook hot dogs and macaroni and cheese on the side burner. Within an hour, the power was back on but it was good for us to see how prepared/unprepared we were for a power outage.

Watching herself blow spit bubbles.

Tuesday we ended up stuck inside until after naps because we had Ms. Jill come for speech therapy and then Ms. Maria (Leila's ECI case worker). In the afternoon we got to play at the park for a couple of hours!

Mr Independent chose his own clothes and had to get dressed by himself. This was his frustrated face as he couldn't get his sock to go on quite right. A few seconds later, he got it by himself and then was excited.

His friend teaching him how to do a cartwheel. It wasn't very successful.

Caleb trying to help Leila get on the couch.

Not sure what he's doing, other than just loving that Dad got home from work.

Wednesday we cleaned and organized in the morning. Caleb helped me pull weeds and trim our rose bushes while Leila napped. Then we played at the park before going to the store and taking naps.

He loves to help me and to be independent. Thankfully rose bushes are pretty resilient since he just kept cutting and cutting. 

He is truly my boy. I was weeding and he said, "Mom, I saved a rock over here for you to rest on next to me." So we just basked in the sunshine together for a few minutes.

Caleb and I were both wearing jean shorts and black sandals. He loved that we were matching and left his shoes right next to mine when we came in. I thought it was so sweet. 

Thursday morning Leila needed a nap again so Caleb helped me clean and organize again (he glued and colored) until the Parkers dropped Graham off. He ended up just napping for almost the whole couple of hours he was here so the kids and I blew bubbles and played in the dirt on the front porch. After naps we ended up going over to the Parker's to play.

I have some cute videos of this, but the kids were having a blast bouncing on the bed together. I was dozing in the beanbag. I have been so exhausted the past couple of weeks! I fall asleep all the time.

I just love how they love to play together!

Elsa is standing in front of all of the other princesses saying a prayer.

She's 13 months older than him but she's lighter (we're almost to 19 pounds) and his size.

She loves to take care of Baby 'Ram and talks to him while rubbing his back gently.

Friday my visiting teachers came over in the morning and then I dropped my kids off to Cathryn for two hours while I ran to the store, organized and cleaned.

This is generally what happens when I say, "Smile for a picture for Daddy."

Caleb checks to see what Leila's doing, as if to ask, "Are we smiling this time?"

Then Leila checks to see if Caleb is smiling, "Are we smiling?"

"Okay, I guess we'll smile this time."

Caleb loves PB sandwiches and will choose to eat them at every meal if I let him. This is his first attempt to make one himself. Leila doesn't like peanut butter but really wants to because Caleb does and asks me for her own sandwich almost every time too.

She loves to be like him! He was crashing cars into one another, so she needed to also.

Saturday morning we were playing in the train room and all of the sudden Caleb was bound and determined that we were going to make chocolate chip cookies. He went downstairs, grabbed a chair and started getting things out for us to make some.

Leila has to try the cookie dough every step of the way.

Not sure what they're doing, other than just being happy playing together.

 Sunday Caleb was supposed to give a prayer in Primary so I went with him but he was too shy to get up in front of everyone.

He had a really hard time trying to wake up from his nap after church; this is what happened after I tried waking him up and he yelled at me for a few minutes. 

She was all smiles from the minute I woke her up from her nap.

Dad eventually got him to wake up and to be happy.

When Al asked what face they should make for the next picture, Caleb said, "A pooping face." How do three year-old boys think of stuff like that on their own!?