Bear Comes to Visit

 This is the third trip for Bear to Casa Llena, as both Louie and Benny had the chance to bring him home for a visit when they too were in Miss Cathy's class. He probably isn't, but to hear Charlie tell it, he was the last person to get to bring Bear home. He was pretty pumped that the visit coincided with Valentine's Day!

Bear got to meet the other bears that live in our house. He got to have a special treat with Charlie and Meredith. Charlie taught him all about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles while they watched the movie. Bear also got to be a part of our special Valentine's Day dinner. It was a good day!

A Handful of Shots

 One day soon this will end. Probably next year, when Charlie goes to kindergarten and I throw him in the shower every night with the big boys. For now, we'll capture these two water monkeys and all the mischief they get into while taking a bath.

 Benny and Charlie were proud of the Lightning McQueen puzzle they finished. I tell you, those puzzles that change the picture depending on what angle you're looking at it (the term is escaping me at the moment...) are not easy! They have a Star Wars one featuring Darth Vader that had me stumped before I realized I was attempting to put a "light saber" piece in a picture of the "Death Star."

 Meredith is the best little helper you could ask for. She's always wanting to join in on whatever household activity I'm doing at the moment.

 Here, she is helping to make some really delicious pumpkin bars!

 This is a picture of me with my niece and goddaugther, Maggie. We celebrated her 1st birthday with a "Winter 1-derland" theme. Too cute.

Happy Birthday, Magnolia Jean!

On the Hot Seat

The ten minute drive to take Charlie to school is always filled with big questions:

• Why is it not warm even though the sun's out?
• How do vampires grow their teeth?

And my personal favorite:

• How does food get bad?

For most of the questions I try to explain in simplest terms, if I even know the answer, but for that last question I was stumped. How in the world do you explain the science of food spoiling to a four-year-old?

I'll update with more questions, if I can remember them. He's got an very inquisitive mind and I love it!

My, Have the Tables Have Turned...

Today, on the way back from dropping Louie and Benny off at school, Charlie is flipping out because it is not a school day for him.

This is the same kid who pretty much cried every day right up until the Christmas break last year. The kid who Miss Sue had to peel off my leg to get him into the classroom.

One year makes quite a difference and Charlie is the happiest 4-year-old in preschool. He bounces out of bed in the morning. He thinks about what he's going to bring for show and tell for a whole week. He tells stories about his day for hours after he's home.

Charlie is making friends, making art, and showing us that he's more than who he was at 3-years-old. It's been a neat transformation to witness.

When Tragedy Strikes

By "tragedy" I mean that over-sized window that no longer has blinds because Charlie pulled them down upon himself. And by "strikes" I mean that that window is striking birds in the face left and right.

And if you're wondering how the lil' guy is doing, he's just fine. He got his way, though. I couldn't get him to take a bath until the next day, which is fine. He was a mite tender-headed on Sunday. We got him cleaned up and saw that it was a complicated scratch. One small part was a bit deeper than the other "legs" of the scratch, but it's healing up nicely. Thanks go out to Grandma R. and Cousin Katie for saving the day with help and advice.

Home again, Home again

I'm taking a break from unloading to cool in the a/c. It was a hot weekend. Not completely unmanageable,but quite muggy. We had fairly shady spots, lots to drink, and a really great swimming pool to retreat to in the afternoons when the humidity became oppressive.

Meredith is sleeping in her crib. Lou and Ben are relaxing on the couches in the basement watching the '60s version of Spiderman shows. And Charlie is on the couch in the living room watching Tom and Jerry. With a big gash in his head. No, this didn't happen when we were camping, just minutes after we got home.

I carried him in the house because he had fallen asleep on the way home. But he had other ideas than sleeping. He wanted to watch Grandma and I unload the van of Grandma's things and he pulled the blind down out of the wall, on top of his head. We have a pretty big window and the blinds that cover them are also very big.

I was outside when it happened and I heard the crash, saw that the blinds were no longer hanging, and I heard the screaming. But I didn't rush inside. Terrible, I know, especially knowing what I know now! However, this was a "Charlie cried wolf" story in that he complains or cries about everything, and most of the time the hurts aren't as serious as the screams are making them out to be. This was not the case here.

There was quite a bit of blood but I think that's common with head injuries. I got him to slow the tears by having him suck on a popsicle while I took a look at the cut. I couldn't find it, partly because he didn't want me touching his head and partly because there was already blood drying in his hair. I called my mom, knowing that she wasn't far away and she came because I was not sure how serious it was going to be.

Grandma saved the day in helping Mommy clean up the cut, put ice on the big growing bump, and put on a movie to calm down poor Charlie. The bleeding pretty much stopped when he stopped crying, so we figured that even though we can't see the cut it mustn't be that bad.

Charlie is resting comfortably, has finished his popsicle, and is trying to talk me into taking a shower tomorrow as opposed to when I'm finished unpacking. That's not going to happen, but I better get out there and finish unloading the second vehicle before I decide that a shower sounds better than a car full of camping stuff.

Oh, and not one picture was taken this weekend. I feel bad for that. It was such a lovely weekend, despite the heat, and we had a wonderful time. We must have enjoyed it too much to stop and take get out cameras. The only thing missing was our favorite camper: Daddy.

Slip 'N Slide Time

We've had some hot-hot days and the boys have been enjoying the different backyard water toys we have. Notice, this picture was taken from the inside of our house...

Celebrating with "Tom and Jerry"

After putting a lot of work into Benny's Star Wars party, I was kind of wiped out. Because of that, I didn't put a lot of effort into the boys' request for a Tom & Jerry party family. I'm mad at myself because what a great theme! It is something that all in attendance watched and loved and we could have had a lot of fun with it. As I look back, I'm going to say that we did the episode where Tom and Jerry hang out by the pool in California. Some mayhem ensues, but we just skipped that party, which is a fortunate thing because who wants either Tom or Jerry to have a bad birthday party? (By the way, Benny is "Tom" and Charlie is "Jerry.")

My beautiful goddaughter, Maggie, who just loves the water!

Not sure what the girls were doing here. All the kids sat at the kids table and that is fun for them and the parents actually get to eat their dinner.

The sad excuse for party decorations. I really don't think they minded.

Benny and his godmother, Aunt Joanie

The kids with Grandpa and Grandma

Charlie and his godmother, Aunt Erin

Good Start

After breakfast the boys rush to brush their teeth and then, it begins. In the ten minutes or so before Lou and Ben's ride comes the three of them play a high-intensity game of baseball in the small space between the front door of the house and the dining room table.

They've created rules for this version of baseball. Sometimes they all agree on these, sometimes they don't (but really, isn't this what they see on the big league fields when players, managers and umpires come together to bump chests?).

But right now they are getting along. I'm typing, listening to the play by play that they call out, imitating the broadcasters they hear. Little Charlie is still in his jammies--pirate-looking striped pants with a "Great American" T-shirt--and the boys have their clothes, shoes and jackets on (yes, it has dipped back below acceptable temperatures for May).

Their ride has driven past our house to drop off a little sister to grandma's, pick up another boy, and they know they only have a few minutes to play baseball before it's off to school.

I love mornings like this.

Oh, and the Reds just swept the Cardinals. It's a good start to the week :)

Growing Pains

Last night Charlie woke up a little after 3am crying in pain. He has been eating like a horse lately (e.g. we normally have to work to get him to finish one plate of food, and he has been eating two plates +), so we are assuming that he is having growing pains.

Lou and Ben have obviously grown, but not with the difficulties that Charlie is feeling these days. He gets the pains behind his knee caps and it was obviously bad enough last night that it caused him to wake up in the middle of a deep sleep.

He took some Tylenol and went back to sleep fairly easily. I'm planning to rub out the muscles in his legs before bedtime so that it makes it easier for him. I've read that they should be drinking a lot to help with the pain, but that is something that we struggle with Charlie as well. Good news is that Charlie is on his way to not being the shrimp anymore!

Is there something wrong with this?

Charlie is waiting for the boys to get home from school. It's a gorgeous, warm day and he can't wait to go outside to play with them. But while he waits...

He found a radio-type-thing, small so you can put it in your pocket or strap it on your arm when you go walking or running. It's white and a metallic blue and has all sorts of buttons on it, as well as a round screen. It has become his hand-held video game device.

The boys do not have anything like this, but they covet the ones they see their friends play with, these games that have a mixture of letters and numbers that mean nothing to me. I'm not sure if a child will be negatively affected either by playing with a hand-held device or not, but it's strange to me to be pretending to play with one.

Charlie tells me what each button is for, who all the characters are and what they can do, what weapons they have. He's come up with an interesting story, to say the least. I haven't figured out if the boys will hold a grudge against us when they're older because they were the only ones that went without.

Valentines for Friends

I got this great idea last year for making your own valentines and decided to make them for the boys to give to their friends this year. Charlie had his party this past Thursday and they got a great response. For whatever reason it just cracks me up.

Playing and Teaching

Although she doesn't say many words (even though she can be very noisy!), Meredith understands everything that's going on, and so Charlie takes time during their play together to teach her everything he knows.

They built a fort out of couch cushions and set up beds inside. He's trying to get her to sleep on the bed and tells her to close her eyes. Standing up, she covers her eyes with her hands. "No, Mere!" Charlie says, frustrated. "Not like hide 'n seek. Close eyes like sleepin'!" She does as she's told. They "sleep" for about three seconds, pop up and proceed to destroy the fort, giggling while doing so.

They play so well together, these two, and I really think that Charlie enjoys having someone to show off all his knowledge to.

En Garde!

Aunt Joanie and Uncle Josh got the boys swords for Christmas and it was really funny a few days after Charlie and Meredith broke out into sword fighting. They kept chasing each other around the house using pretty good form, I thought.

For all the fighting these two do, they really are the best of friends.

More Christmas Cheer!

In the afternoon we headed over to my parents. My siblings usually have something going on with their other side, so we try to get together for a little bit to have brunch, exchange gifts and let the kids spend time together.

Meredith and Gracie got matching outfits, complete with these incredibly soft coats.

Miss Maggie didn't spend much time awake, but we were happy to have her there (she was only 25 days old by then!).

Charlie became the third brother to get his own "Wonderboy" bat. He's excited to use it in his T-Ball league.

One of the favorite gifts of the day: Wack-a-Mole.

Each of the grandkids got their own Zhu-Zhu pet. Rudi wasn't overly excited about this one.

Christmas Art

I like this :)

Benny says "I went to the museum" in this picture. He told me that he made the monster a coffee cup, but didn't have time to make a table. It currently resides in Aunt Joanie's cube.

Charlie

Charlie

Not sure why it's upside down, but it's Louie's

Wow, another one. Louie's Three Wise Men

Louie made the long snowman and Benny made the short.

Benny's candy cane

Louie's drawing--they learned about holidays around the world, which is where the Mexican flag came from. I think.

November Art (aka lots and lots of turkeys)

Louie's FALL sign

Benny's jack-o-lantern

Benny's pumpkins on a gate

Charlie's leaf

Charlie's "H"s (sorry for sideways shot)

Louie's turkey

Benny's Indian corn

Benny's turkey

Louie's Thankful Turkey

Louie's Teepees

?

Benny's bloody toothed monster?

Louie's turkey plea to eat pizza instead of turkey

Another Louie turkey

Another Charlie turkey

Another Charlie turkey

Charlie Indian corn (kind of looks like it was painted with a corn cob)

Wow, another Louie turkey. I guess this was a math activity, so a little different.

Louie's owl. I love it! Big fan of owls.

(I think) another Louie turkey. A bit more abstract, though.

Benny's name card turkey

Benny's turkey plea to eat pie instead of turkey.

Another Charlie Indian corn

Louie's Sponge Bob and Patrick play-doh creations

(Some of these art pieces were from school, others from Louie and Benny's church school.)