Playgroup and a Nap

Last week, I volunteered to host a bubble themed playgroup for one of the mommy groups we joined here in San Antonio.  Of course, it was pouring rain that day!  So at the last minute, I scrambled around and found a few simple crafts and hoped for the best...  It turned out to be a lot of fun and I think both Ethan and Addy had fun meeting new friends.  

   

It rained pretty much every day last week, so when Sunday came around and we saw sunshine, I jumped at the chance to enjoy it.  After church, I packed the kids up in the double jogger (have I mentioned how much I love that thing!) and we went on a walk.  This is what they looked like when we got home. 

                               

                               

It was so sweet how they were holding hands!  It's not often that I see moments like this.  Ethan does love his sister, and I know she loves him too...but quite often I hear him yell out to me "Mom, Addy's spitting at me!" And I'm thinking...she's only 5 months and the sibling rivalry is already starting?  

Ethan's Birthday

Our Ethan turned 3 in March!  I can't believe he's already so old!  Chris came home for the weekend (actually it was less than 36 hours that he was home after all of the driving time).  Ethan was so thrilled to have his daddy back!  We just had a low-scale party at the house with a few of his best friends over.  My mom and youngest brother were also able to be in town for it!  He had so much fun.  

Visiting Pensacola

Okay, the guilt has gotten to me.  For the past two months, every time I picked up the computer I knew I should be updating the blog.  For the past two weeks, I felt like I needed to slink past the computer like a kid avoiding my homework.  So, I have decided to quit being neglectful, update the blog, and make another effort at keeping it updated.  Maybe if I set the goal of blogging once a week, I'll be able to keep it up!  Here's hoping!


Since Chris has been in Pensacola, Florida, the kiddos and I have been out to visit him twice, and both times we've "extended" our stay.  It's so beautiful out here and Ethan and I are soaking up all of the beach time we can.  Don't get me wrong, we love Texas, but we're going through beach-withdrawal out there!

We also went to the Naval Air Museum, which was a lot of fun.  They even had Coast Guard planes and helicopters, which Ethan loved!  

We also checked out the fort on base, Fort Barranacas, which had a great history.  The water battery was built by the Spanish in the 1700's, then the land was taken by the French, then the Spanish again, then the English, then America.  When America got it we built the fort.  This fort was also used during the Civil War by the Union.  

Story Time

So we've found 2 libraries here that put on great story time programs for toddlers. In fact, they are called "Toddler Time." At the last one we went to, they had the kiddos go outside and blow bubbles after the stories and songs. It was great, and fortunately, I had my camera.

One of Ethan's good friends who always goes to story time with us.

After another story time, we found this great park! Ethan had so much fun, and he hung from the monkey bars all by himself for the very first time! Yeah Ethan!

I missed the best shot. He was hanging without his feet on the tire, but by the time I got the camera ready, his feet were back on the tire!

Addy's also been growing up so fast! Here are some recent pics of our cute little girl.

This is the first time she actually grasped a toy all by herself. When you pull on the ring, the lion purrs or makes "meowing" sounds. She kept pulling it over and over, although at 2 1/2 months, it was most likely because she couldn't figure out how to let go.

This is the first time she was in the walker. Even though her feet can't reach the ground yet, she's got such great head control that she can sit in it and loves looking at the brightly colored toys. Ethan, who hasn't played with this toy since he learned to walk nearly 2 years ago, decided that he HAD to play with it again. (Later that day I found him actually sitting in it..wish I'd thought to take a picture then!)

The Alamo

Okay, so Chris is gone for about the next 4 months, so I've decided to take the kiddos out and explore around the area as much as possible to keep away the "I miss daddy" blues. I was born in Texas (Austin), and went to elementary school in a town about an hour away (San Marcos). I remember learning all about the Alamo and the heros that fought there as a kid, so I decided to try to instill that love in Ethan. We went down to the Alamo with a friend who has a little boy that Ethan is friends with. He watched a little video about the Alamo and got to see guns shot by Davy Crocket and knives used by James Bowie. I think he had fun.

The Alamo. Many Texans still believe in their hearts that Texas should still be its own independent country. I'm not kidding! I see bumper stickers everywhere showing the Texas flag with the caption "Secede!" I'm not that fanatical, but I do think Texas has a history that is interesting. I mean where else do you find a group of about 200 poorly supplied men who refuse to surrender and instead decided to take a stance against a well armed army of 6000 soldiers from Mexico? While they didn't win, they did at least hold out for 13 days! Pretty impressive, I think!

Addy wasn't too impressed, but she's still got time!

Ethan and his friend, Austin

In front of the Alamo.

While we were there, we looked across the street and saw the Menger Hotel. It doesn't look like much, but it's got quite a history. Teddy Roosevelt recruited his "Rough Riders" here and Babe Ruth and other famous people have stayed here. It's also supposedly home to the ghost of a rancher who owned The King Ranch, which was about 250 million acres. He died here and (for some reason I don't understand) they still have that bed in the room for guests to stay in! (I don't believe in ghosts, obviously, but it was fun to see a place that had been on TV!)

Wow It's been awhile!

Okay, so it's been pretty crazy lately, and getting on the computer has been ridiculously hard! We are starting to get into a little rhythm though, and while life it busy, it's a lot of fun! Addyson is growing up so quickly. In fact, I swear that time goes by quicker with her than it did when Ethan was a baby. She is such a sweet baby, and Ethan already goes around saying "Addy's my best friend."

I'm not quite sure I'm ready to put Ethan in preschool yet, so we've been doing our own homeschool curriculum for now. (Made up by yours truly!) We've learned about space, and turned a diaper box into a space ship for him to fly to the different planets in.

We also learned about birds, and then made pinecone bird feeders.

Ethan also got his first official haircut (by someone other than mommy)! He's growing up so fast!

You'll Shoot Your Eye Out, Kid!

Ethan's new favorite store is Bass Pro Shops. He and Chris love going in and playing the game where you "shoot" the rattle snakes, skunks, bear, and other targets. Personally, I thought he was a little young to learn all about guns, but he and Chris evidently decided otherwise.

For Christmas, they have a special set up where kids can try out nerf crossbows and a laser version of the Red Ryder BB gun. (Gee..nothing says "Peace on Earth, Goodwill to men" like kids practicing their shooting skills, huh?)

Dad giving him a few pointers before letting him shoot on his own.

The gun's as big as he is! (Maybe bigger!)

Oops...the arrow wasn't supposed to go that way, was it? (Good thing it's Nerf!)

"I got it, Dad!"

Getting Ready for Christmas

For the past two Christmas seasons, I've wanted to make a gingerbread house with Ethan, but thought he was too young to really be able to do much. This year, though, I decided we were going for it! I totally cheated and bought a kit, rather than make the gingerbread myself. (Hey, I'm lucky if I find time to take a shower by noon everyday, I wasn't going to spend my ten free minutes a day trying to bake gingerbread this year!) It was perfect! Ethan thought it was great fun to stick the candy on the house, although I think he stuck one piece in his mouth for every piece that went on the house.

Juggling

A good friend once told me that when you add a new child in your family, it's like learning to juggle. Well, let's just say it's a very good thing that I never decided to join a carnival, because I still am learning one month after Addyson joined us! Fortunately, Chris was home for the first 10 days after she came home from the NICU, and then my mom and brothers were here for a week. This past Wednesday was my first day alone with both kiddos. My biggest accomplishment was being able to make it to the post office that day. (I started with that goal around 9am, and we made it just before it closed at 4:30!) We've gotten a little better since then, but we're still finding our rhythm.

Ethan sharing his favorite pirate hat with baby Addy.

It was so great having my family here to help!!

The little angel!