Merry Christmas!

We had a wonderful Christmas! Each year tops the last as the kids become more aware and their excitement builds.

This was our year to travel to spend the holiday with my family so Ryan experienced his first car trip. He did great! We came home today and he slept the whole way. Hopefully he'll travel as well as Tyler because this is the first of many trips.

The cousins had a blast playing together. Tyler and Ava spend much of their time chasing each other around the house with Nora trailing behind. I wish we didn't live so far apart, but so far we seem to see each other enough that they get along like siblings (fighting over toys and all!)



There was lots of snow and that means time outside. Tyler was too busy making "smoke" to smile for a picture.

Tyler requested this picture of himself eating snow. He looks very serious, doesn't he?

Tyler and Ava shared the job of bringing cookies out for Santa. Just after this picture was taken the cookies ended up on the floor... sorry Santa! It was a very exciting night.

The next morning the kids had a great time opening their presents. I think the favorite gifts were the magic wands that Santa left in the kids stockings. They make a noise, spin and and light up. Woo Hoo!

Of course Tyler ended up wrapping himself in bubble wrap (yes, he did this himself). What a ham.

We did our family picture just before heading out to spend the rest of the day with the larger family.

Merry Christmas!

First Smiles

Ryan is growing up fast and about a week ago he started giving us smiles. They don't happen all the time and are really hard to catch on camera, but I managed to get a few.

I can't wait to hear the laugh that goes with this face.

I can't believe how much he's changed in such a short period of time. He's more alert and making voluntary movements... and I've got to get the next size clothes ready to go because he's already grown out of some of his 3 month clothes!

In this picture he's being held by Tyler. Ryan loves his big brother and watches him as he runs around... this could be trouble!

His two month doctors appointment is 1/6 and I'm thinking he's going to tip the scales at 12 pounds! Maybe soon we'll know for sure what color his eyes are going to be.

We're so lucky to have these two boys.

Museum of Play

The Saturday before Christmas we visited the museum of play and had a blast. We've been there 4 times now and haven't spend less than 4 hours there each time. This trip we could have stayed at least 6 hours, but Ryan was having none of it. Here are some pictures from our day.

We had to make sure we visited the museum before early January so that Tyler got to experience the George exhibit.

Curious George is the only stuffed animal that Tyler ever "loved" so he's extra special to us.

Last year the exhibit was Bob the Builder and it was wonderful, but the George exhibit even topped that. It had all sorts of things to do including experiments with wind, crafts, and golf!

This place is incredibly interactive and even keeps our boy interested the entire time we're there.

Here's the one picture I was able to get with Tyler somewhat posed. He was so involved in play that he didn't have time to stop for mom to snap a picture. I guess that's the point of this place...

Dan is a great Dad and a very good sport as Tyler led him around. He even went into the barn through the kiddie door.

Here they are inside the barn making a windsock.

They had George's rocket and Tyler had great time sticking his head out the window.

The other side of the rocket had a slide.

Even the display outside of the exhibit was fun. Each of these little windows opened up and had a surprise inside for the kids to discover.

Here's Tyler drag racing with some help from Dad.

This airplane exhibit is one of Tyler's favorites. He looks forward to it each time. Unfortunately I was off nursing while he was in the Wegmans exhibit so there aren't any pictures of that. It's my favorite. They have mini shopping carts and the kids can go shopping in a miniature store and then ring themselves out on real cash registers. How cool!

Tyler also loves serving his customers from the food cart. They've got very realistic hot dogs, hamburgers, tacos and ice cream cones for dessert.

This display was lots of fun. The teeth make noise when you brush them. Who thinks of these things?

We ended our trip at the Berenstein Bears exhibit. I hope that is a permanent display because there was lots to do and we rushed through it.

What a great day... I can't wait until next time!

Holiday Prep

I've been away from my computer for a while and crazy busy before that preparing for Christmas so I'll have to do a few posts back to back to catch up.

Tyler was a huge help in making the goodies. We made Italian, ricotta cheese, peanut butter kiss and cut-out cookies as well as fudge. I've had a bit of set back with losing the baby weight!

We barely got a tree and ended up only putting up a third of the ornaments, but Tyler is pleased with it. Here he is decorating.



Making fudge was a huge hit, especially when it came time to lick the utensils.

I told him that his face could get stuck like this, but he's willing to make the sacrifice for a good laugh.

Mmmm... yummy!

Cut out cookies were also a lot of fun. He insisted on rolling the dough out himself.

We made some more at grandma's. Here's the crew very intent on their work.

The kids did a great job sprinkling the cookies. By the time they were done the cookies were completely covered!

What fun!

As I'm typing this Dan came in to inform me that according to Tyler "sometimes he growls to itch his stomach." What!

A couple of month ago we were eating out and Tyler was kicking the booth. We asked him to stop kicking and he informed us that he wasn't kicking... he was "singing with his feet."

It is so hard not to laugh.

5 Weeks Down

Ryan is 5 weeks old and growing fast. (At least I hope he is with the amount he's eating...) He was 10 pounds on the nose at his 4 week check-up on 12/4 and he's filling out his 0-3 month outfits very well.

Tyler had his 4 year appointment on 12/2 and he weighed in at 34 pounds and is 39 inches tall. Technically he's a bit shorter than average, but he seems so big to me.

Dan went on a business trip this week so Grandma and Grandpa W came to visit. It seems like they just got here and they're gone already. I'm glad they're only 4 hours down the road and willing to drive out her for the 3rd time in 5 weeks. I don't think I could handle being here by myself for 4 days alone.

Ryan's disposition isn't as rosy as it was in the beginning, but I suppose that's to be expected. He can't be a perfect angel all the time. Those of you at the party last night will recognize this face... (I swear he wasn't doing this when I got the camera out)

Poor kid. He doesn't care that mommy needs a nice picture for his "my 1st Christmas" ornament!

This morning we had a photo shoot for our Christmas card. I can't believe it is 12/13 and I haven't sent them out yet! Thank goodness for Walgreens. Hopefully I can pick them up this afternoon and get them in the mail on Monday. I'm going to cheat and send the baby announcements out with them so make sure you get both out of the envelope. Here are some of the pictures that didn't make the card.

These are the only matching shirts I have for the boys and that's because some friends had a good idea. You'll probably never see them matching again!

I tried to get individual pictures of the boys, but Tyler wasn't cooperating. He was too cool for a picture and made sure that if I insisted on taking a picture, his bubble wrap was going to be in it.

Grrr!

At least Ryan hasn't started copying Tyler's shenanigans yet!

Santa Train Birthday Party

Today was the big day on the santa train for Tyler's birthday. Along with our family and friends, we headed out to the North Pole in vintage style! We've been planning this party for months and I can't believe it is over.

They ran the Diesel engine today. We'll have to go back next summer to ride the steam engine again.


I was a little worried when we got to the depot as it was extremely crowded, but somehow we ended up with a car to ourselves. We were on the last passenger car on the train on the way out and the first on the way back which worked to our advantage. We were the first people off the train when we arrived at the substation (decorated as the North Pole) so we got in to see Santa quickly without standing out in the cold.

We lucked out with the weather as well. It was chilly, but there wasn't a blizzard as I had feared. Aunt Sara often brings bad weather with her... she was scheduled to arrive in Buffalo the day of the October storm two years ago...

We started our trip with the "hobo packs" consisting of bandanas suspended from candy cane sticks. Inside the kids found conductor hats, train whistles and goodies. They seemed to enjoy it and the whistles weren't too loud. Here's three of the kids with their packs. Tyler spend the first half of the ride to the North Pole enjoying his candy cane. Then the sugar kicked in for the rest of the ride.

The railroad did a really nice job. They decorated the car, put up signs and supplied the cake. All I did was send out invitations and bring juice boxes (which really weren't needed). It was a nice way to have a party... show up and enjoy! I also liked that we were able to get up and move around the train.

Halfway to the substation the musicians came to our car and sang happy birthday to Tyler before singing Christmas Carols. It was really nice. I'm glad I didn't print out the words to the songs for a sing-along... and I bet the adult guests are glad I didn't either!

Here's Tyler tooting his whistle with a friend.

And, of course, we had the visit with Santa.

Tyler and his cousin Ava had a great time together. They were good enough to pose for this picture.

And this one! The tree was set up on an open rail car that you walked on to from the car we were on. Pretty neat!

We all had a great time on the train. Tyler and Ava brought home the balloons from the train and spent the rest of the evening running through the house with them. They took a moment out to rest with Aunt Sara and Ryan.

What a great day!

Happy Birthday Tyler

I can't believe Ty is 4 years old! It went so fast.

The whole birthday experience started on Monday for Ty with making cupcakes for school. Since Ty doesn't go to school on Wednesday's, he brought them in yesterday. He doesn't go in until later in the morning and I couldn't figure out how I could carry Ryan and the cupcakes while keeping an eye on Ty in the parking lot so I asked Daddy to drop off the cupcakes on his way in to work. Tyler was very concerned about that arrangement because he was convinced his classmates would eat his cupcakes! Poor kid (it was hard not to laugh)! Here he is licking the bowl.

We had a great day today starting with story hour at the library, then off to take pictures before going to lunch and finally Chuck E Cheese's. Daddy joined us for the afternoon so we had a wonderful family day. Here's Ty with Chuck E.

When we got home it was time for presents! Tyler informed me that he's now old enough to use his own scissors to cut the ribbon on his presents. He got them himself and here he is cutting the ribbon off his first gift. He did a great job. (He didn't need me at all... sob!)

Here is the first gift fully unwrapped. He loves it Aunt Donna!

And, here is the face he made when he discovered that the helicopter makes noise!

Unfortunately I was so concerned about video taping Tyler blowing out his candles that I forgot to take a picture! Oops! So, here he is eating his cake.

Of course we need the token picture of Ryan. He did really well at Chuck E Cheese's. The lights were fascinating.

Hopefully Ty's birthday party on Saturday will be as much fun as today.