Sunday, April 8, 2012

Happy Easter!



"This is my 1st Easter!"

This was Stella's first time wearing jeans - so I had to get a picture of the full ensemble.

Nana took Abram to see the Easter Bunny in downtown South Bend.  He did much better than I would have guessed.  He really loves bunnies.  Every time he sees one in our back yard its "NANA it's a.....BUUUUUNNNNNY!!!!! (or add in squirrel, robin, cardinal, butterfly).  He found a fellow nature enthusiast in his grandma and wants to make sure she knows about all the wildlife out the window.  He yells loud enough just in case she's in the basement, upstairs...she could probably hear him if she was down the street and wearing headphones.  He really loves nature.

But what he really, really loves are giant bears in the middle of chocolate cafes.

This was taken right after he found out that the Easter Bunny had been to the backyard.

He filled up his bag pretty quickly.


In addition to eggs he found a basket and other yummy treats.

You can see his new haircut in this picture.  I gave him a mohawk while cutting his hair last night and showed himself in the mirror just for fun but he liked it.  So my child has a mohawk - it kind of goes with his personality.

Nana got the worst of his silly string rampage.

He was one happy kid today.

You may have noticed that Stella did not partake in the egg hunt.  She fell asleep on the way home from brunch.  She was a bit foggy when she woke up (foggy but cute).
 She quickly got into the fun.

They both loved the colorful flower left by the bunny.

After naps we got the sandbox out for the first time this spring - it was a hit.  Unfortunately a real hit - Stella took a shovel right in the eye.  We've decided there is a one child at a time limit in the sandbox at our house.

The sand feels so funny on my toes.

While everyone else was having fun Papa was hard at work on a swing set.  The swing set is a surprise gift from Aunt Vicki for Abram and Stella.  They'll get it when she visits later this week.  I think Josh was actually enjoying himself all alone in the garage.  He could measure, cut, drill in peace and quiet until I came in with my camera, "that doesn't look right, did you read the instructions, are you sure that's in the right place, will this hold?."  Even with my interrogation I think he enjoyed himself and the kids are going to have a wonderful new swingset.

Abram was a big helper.  It's convenient that he is 3 and that he had no idea what Josh was really building. We will post pictures of the big reveal later this week.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

11 Months Old!!!

Stella turned 11 months old yesterday.  I really can't believe how quickly this year has gone by.

She is hard to keep up with these days but some of her favorite things are (in no particular order):

  • eating grapes
  • eating oranges (seriously, Josh and I have both been yelled at by Stella for not getting her fruit fast enough)
  • drinking water as fast as she can until she starts choking, not that this is a favorite thing but more something that she does everyday
  • saying her name 
  • screeching at the cat
  • having raspberries blown on her belly and/or face
  • pounding on anything
  • climbing stairs
  • dancing
  • cooking
  • riding in Abram's cozy coupe
  • being outside
  • wagon rides
All of these pictures of her were taken within the last week.  I love her joy and hearing her giggle never ceases to make me smile.  The thing on her head in a few of the pictures is a bandanna that Abram wears when he is being a chef - so she is copying her big brother.








Happy 11 Month Birthday my Beautiful Stella!

Abram and the Chocolate Factory

We have been enjoying unseasonable warm weather the past few weeks so when I saw the weather forecast that called for 55 degree weather I pulled out our parkas from the basement and came up with an 'indoor' plan.  We were going to have a play date with a new friend.  Abram was very excited for his 'date' and was sooooo sad when we found out that his friend was sick that morning.  Abram didn't understand why we couldn't go to his house.  When I explained he was sick and that we would see him later that week Abram asked, "Well - can't we go to someone else's house?"  Poor kid - all that energy and no one to tackle.  I explained again that we can't just show up at other people's houses, especially when we don't know them.  He then asked if we could go to Max's house.  Max is a friend from Iowa City.  My heart which was already aching for the little guy just about broke in too.  No Abram, we can't go to Max's house........but we can go to a CHOCOLATE FACTORY!!!!

Most sane people would save a visit to a chocolate factory for when a child's puppy dies or they break their arm or something, but since we were both feeling homesick for Iowa a trip the chocolate factory was just what we needed.


Before we even got in the main door we found the coolest gumball machine ever.


Then we took Abram's picture with Lucy and Ethel.  You can't quite see his face  - he was about 2 feet short even with the chair they provided.

The next tour didn't start for another 40 minutes so what were we to do but eat bagels and drink chocolate milk while we waited.

Miss Debbie led the tour - which included Abram, me and 20 kids from a local pre-school who definitely livened things up.

Abram was not too happy about having to wear a hair net.

This is the best picture I could get of the two of us.


Abram got to make a chocolate dipped spoon at the end of the tour.  I wish I had got a picture of him eating the spoon at the end of the day - he had way more on his face than he ever got in his mouth.


I totally recommend the South Bend Chocolate Factory tour for cloudy days when you miss your friends :)

Monday, March 19, 2012

Happy Belated St. Patrick's Day!

We've been taking advantage of this crazy warm weather with lots of playing outside.  Abram is driving Miss Stella.

"What's wrong Officer?  I wasn't driving that fast!"

Stella's version of a picnic outside.

Abram was pretty sad that he spilled all his bubble juice - he's lucky that he has a nana who ran to the store to buy him not 1 but 3 more containers of bubbles.

What St. Paddy's Day Parade?  I'm more interested in seeing if I can fit this entire graham cracker in my mouth.

No one told our family that it is the green in the Irish flag and not orange that is worn on March 17th.

Stella was 1 part confused, 1 part intrigued, and 1 part tired during the parade - but she was all cute in her shamrock dress (thanks Kiley!).
 Stella isn't even smiling but it's the only picture that I have of her showing the adorable little leggings.

Do I have any on my face?
 

Stella learned to walk behind her bug mobile today.

She was being chased by her big brother all around the house.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Hello South Bend

We've been here about a week and everyone we've met has been extremely kind and helpful.  Due to the warm weather we've been out and about and met several neighbors.  We've also found a wonderful Italian grocery/bakery a few blocks away.  Abram tells me their cookies are 'delicious.'

Here are a few pictures from our new house.