April

April wasn't quite as good as March. In fact, we are really glad that May is on the way. No spring weather here. We have had snow and storms all month...

We had a hospital trip with Avalon due to dehydration from a concussion and strep throat. Although it was a long 24 hours, she was so sweet in her little crib and we've never snuggled so much with her! She has recovered and gained her weight right back.

Brig sprained his ankle playing basketball and it wouldn't heal on its own so he's walking around like an old man with his boot and cane. Luckily, all he did for 14 hours a day was sit at the law school studying for finals. He finished his first year last Friday and the only one who can really 'jump' for joy is Max. He's the one holding us together!

I have worried about my placenta previa, in which my placenta was covering my cervix. Today we got the news that it is off my cervix and just far enough away that it looks like I won't have to have a C-section as long as it doesn't shift again. We feel really blessed because if it didn't move, we wouldn't be traveling all summer and I would have to be on bed-rest.

We had a wonderful Easter weekend with my parents. I will have to post those pictures in a bit. Here's hoping to sunny days and no hospital stays in May!





My friend, Breanne, took a few (more like 600 pics) for us. It's almost impossible to get pictures of these busters smiling at the same time, but she got some great ones and I am sure I'll post more later.

Max and his Rescue Squad Mater Shirt

You see this shirt here... well, if you actually see Max on a daily basis, you would discover that for 13 days straight he has worn it even after sleeping in it. (He will sometimes take it off for church but several times, he keeps it on under his button-up.) His dear friend Jonah passed it on and he LOVES it. When he prays, it is the FIRST thing every time that he is thankful for. When it disappears to get washed (which obviously isn't often enough), he prays that mom will do the laundry fast so he can wear it again. Today, I actually got him to wear his Spiderman shirt but he carried the RSM shirt around with him in his backpack. His attachments have gone a little far... and he notices what others are wearing and comments all the time. He'll say things like, "Mom, I wish I had Spiderman crocks. Maybe I could get some one day." The one good thing about this... I do minimal amounts of laundry. (and not only because of Max, I have a good husband who wears his clothes at least twice -do I dare say even a week- before throwing them in the dirty pile.) A few other notes while on Max: He wanted to name the baby Ollie for the longest time (even before we knew it was a boy). Now, he has decided on Buzzy Widget. He asks me all the time when the baby will come and often asks other pregnant moms when their baby is due. Buzzy Widget is due August 12th. He doesn't want to grow up so he tries not to eat anything that will make him bigger. He only takes his vitamin because it tastes so good. Tonight before I kissed him goodnight, he said, "Don't worry Mom, when you get little, you can have some of my Toy Story fruit snacks and wear my Rescue Squad Mater shirt, and my cool underwear." (I didn't tell him I would love the fruit snacks but would prefer not to wear his smelly shirt or underwear!") He loves preschool and asks me every day what letter we are learning next. He will then think of words that start with that letter and he shows off for everybody when asked in class what starts with that because he has been thinking about it for days. We learned U on Monday and he was so frustrated because Udall starts with U but yo-yo doesn't and it sounds the same. We had the same problem with J and G and he doesn't care that giraffe starts with G, he will always put it with the J. He has been studying his Star Wars Character Encyclopedia day in and day out (which we got from the library.) He knows several droids, jedi, and sith. I knew nothing before and am learning from him. He wants to be called Obi-Wan Kenobi. Brig is Anakin and I am Padme and Peanut is R2D2. He watches episodes with Brig and I roll my eyes. Just something I will never get into and I am fine that they have their boy bonding moments. When I tell him he is such a good boy, he reminds me that sometimes he is not nice and hits Peanut, but he is mostly good. This is true... We love our little Jedi Negotiator.

Yippee!

Our Favorite Time of Year...

With March Madness underway, we are loving life. (We are watching the Florida/UCLA game... close one!) The kids have been spending the afternoons outside and we have even made it to the park a few times. Our sweet, elderly neighbor gave both Avalon and Max bikes and they have been in heaven. Avalon has enough hair for a little barrette, but she usually rips it out. I am hoping we can do pigtails before the year is over.

CAUGHT! (and I hope our landlord doesn't see this picture!) They are quite funny with their backpacks.

A few pics of our San Diego trip

We went to the dog beach with Camie, Tommy, and G one afternoon. It was sunny but windy. G owned the beach.

Avalon warmed right up to Camie. At night, she would climb on her lap with her blankie and start sucking her thumb. I love this picture!


(What's Max doing in the background?)

Aunt Camie even 'fwinged' at the park with the kids in Lemon Grove (which claims to have the best climate on earth). We sure enjoyed the sun in February.

The Random Pics Post for Grandpa Barry

and most of them are of Peanut.

Max turns FREE..

and although free should be three, free is more fitting. He has only been 3 for a few weeks, but he is already trying to be so independent. He won't wear anything but his Rescue Squad Mater shirt, he wants to determine what he eats for dinner (which is going right for the treat without the meal), and thinks that naps are only for Peanut. It will take some adjusting but we will survive, right? We're finding that we have to pick our battles, because some are just more punishment on us... Need less to say, he is still sweet enough in the right moments that it makes the rest bearable.

We had a great birthday celebration with him. For dinner, we took him to the Play Place at McDonald's, a big treat! (And where he probably also picked up his nasty virus a few days later.)Even though it was a bit chilly, they both insisted on waiting outside for Daddy to come home so we could go for dinner.

His backpack is part of his birthday suit, and he won't go anywhere without it! (Another battle.)

We threw him a birthday party with his church and preschool friends, and his nearby boy cousins.

Dad made his awesome Mack cake. I was very impressed. He figured it out all on his own. In fact, Brig did most of the party. Thanks Dad for skipping out on study time to come home early and play Martha.

He got the rice burners from Cars, which include SnotRod, DJ, Boost, and Wingo. We are wondering when his obsession will end. With Cars 2 coming out this summer, we are thinking it could go on for awhile.

He struggled a bit with a blow like that... so he had to have some help!

He talked about playing Red Rover for a week after this. It might have been his favorite part!

Thanks to Aunt Heidi for taking pictures and keeping Peanut from eating the deer poop on the lawn. Somehow she managed to fall in every pile out there!