Another great beach weekend!

I can't resist taking beach pictures!! Here are some from yet another great beach weekend...

How much pretend is too much??

Jack has been HUGE into pretend lately - choosing to be either a crane or a "mean-hungry-meat-eating-dinosaur" (usually a T-Rex or Allosaraus). I'll be honest...neither are my favorite activity. Though I love to watch his imagination at work, both of these choices come with their price. As a dinosaur, he makes a terrible looking "mean face" and runs around the house yelling (though he calls it roaring). As a crane, he aimlessly walks through the house lifting things up and placing them in other locations (like moving all his matchbox cars from their bin to the couch where I'm sitting). Nonetheless - he loves playing pretend, and I love when he's happy.

So...when is there too much pretend?? This morning Jack wanted milk. He asked for it - without saying 'please'. We reminded him without a 'please' there would be no milk, to which he responded: I'm a T-Rex, the bully of the jungle, and bullies of the jungle don't say please. He held out for at least 5 minutes, maybe even 10, getting more and more frustrated that we were asking a T-Rex to say please. "T-Rexes don't say please!" he would shout (and whine). We finally convinced him that it's great to pretend, but even when you're pretending to be something, our rules need to be followed. He gave in and said please, though I'm not so sure we won't have to cross this bridge again.

Brotherly Love

Jack has really taken to Kingsley lately. It's been really fun to watch them really interact and play with each other!! I think Jack loves that Kingsley will do virtually anything he asks (with the occasional "no!"), but he also really likes having a constant playmate. And Kingsley, of course, loves following him around and learning how to play. A couple of months ago it seemed that she was constantly bothering him, and now I catch these amazing moments between them (almost daily) where they're playing incredibly well just the two of them. Today I caught them pretending that Jack's bed was a boat on which they were sailing (and the Thomas toothbrush in his hand provided the music):

Once I was spotted, I soon became a shark from which they needed to hide:

God I LOVE those happy, excited faces!!!

Moving rooms and making room

Over the last couple of weeks, John and I have been busy moving the kids around to make room for baby #3. We moved Jack to the guest room, which hardly seemed to affect him; he's excited to have his own bathroom, and was glad to give up his old room for "baby Lynden" (although we later told him it would actually be Kingsley moving in there). John painted the entire room (and Jack loved helping) and moved all the furniture in one day, and I hung everything up. I think it turned out even cuter than the original one!

Next step was painting Jack's old room/Kingsley's new room. I purchased the wallpaper for the ceiling, which I'm SO excited about! I originally thought yellow walls would compliment the paper really well, but once John got the ENTIRE gallon up on the walls I decided I hated it. Oops! So...onto green:

Next was the wallpaper, which looks UNBELIEVABLE! I wasted no time moving furniture in, some of which will stay and some of which will go:


Mimi bought a beautiful green crib that will arrive in 10-12 weeks. I am now onto bedding, a chandelier and window treatments. After that...look out picture frames, baskets, nicnacs, and any other miscellaneous decoration/accessory!! I'm so excited to move Kingsley into such an amazing new nursery that will easily transition to a big girl room!!

Summer 2010 favorite books & music

Books:
Jack - The Odd Egg; Rollercoaster; Dinosaur Encyclopedia; Maybe a Bear Ate It!; Jump!; Crunch Munch Dinosaur Lunch

Kingsley - Goodnight Moon; The Wheels on the Bus; I Love You as Much; Monkey & Me' Orange Pear Apple Bear

Me - Swimmy; Rainbow Fish; Mr. Seahorse; Orange Pear Apple Bear; The Odd Egg


Music:
Caspar Babypants

Kingsley at 18 months

You are one fiesty girl! You definitely know what you want, and now that you're really starting to talk...it's more than apparent!! You have started saying the word 'no' (instead of just shaking your head), and we hear it often; your other favorite words are 'mommy' (I can't even count how many times per day you say this one!), 'hot' (ha), 'dog' (doh), 'water' (wawa), 'eat' (ee) and 'cookie' (tootie).

You have learned what most farm animals say, from a sheep (ahhh!) to a cow (mmm) to a duck (ah, ah, ah) to a horse (this is the clearest of all the animals). You also know the sounds of a dog, bee, chick and owl. I think Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? has really helped you learn, since it still is one of your favorite books. You've also started showing a lot of interest in The Big Red Barn and Goodnight Moon. I read both of them to you as we rock in your chair before nap and bedtime; reading has just recently become a part of our routine and we both love it! Right when I finish a book, you'll look up at me and stop drinking your milk for just long enough to say "mo" (for more).

You idolize your big brother, and definitely epitomize the phrase 'monkey see, monkey do'. You love to follow and copy almost everything he does (and he, of course, loves this too!), although every once in awhile he;ll ask you if you'd like to play something and you'll reply 'no' (which does NOT make him happy). You are also my shadow - constantly saying my name, and rarely leaving my sight; you love for me to hold you, play with you and read to you.

You love talking on the phone, and prefer to use the real one (which drives Daddy totally crazy). You like to press the button to play old messages, and pretend to talk to the recordings. You also love your pretend kitchen, putting your shoes on, going "bye" (you say "bye" ALL the time), swings, and have become incredibly attached to your pink bear, Yaya.

You are becoming quite the big girl, and it's too fun watching you grow!! We love you!!!

Happy 4th of July

Great day! Spent all morning at the beach with the kids and Mimi, who is quickly turning into Jack's #1 (he only wanted Mimi to take him swimming, not me). As Jack ran past me in the water he yelled "Mommy, I'm having SO much fun!" And Kingsley was so bold and daring - loved running into the little waves, and didn't even mind being thrown down by a few. The waves would crash into her little legs and she'd yell "mo" (more).

We headed home, took a good nap, and then got all set in our patriotic gear. Everyone looked great, but Kingsley definitely took the cake! She truly looked like an American doll!! Jack looked at all of us as we were getting ready to leave and asked "Why are we wearing red, white and green?" After being told it's red, white and blue he seemed to get the idea: "we're like an American flag!"

Mimi and Papa's beach club was the perfect place to celebrate the 4th...beautiful beach, great food and an awesome band. The kids loved dancing to the band's music, and eating mac & cheese and banana pudding.

We even convinced Jack to share a few bites of his banana pudding with Kingsley:

As we left the club, Jack went around saying "Happy 4th of July!" We figured he'd really gotten the hang of the holiday, until we got back to the house. As we waited for the fireworks to begin, we lit a sparkler (which I thought he'd be really excited by) and handed it to him. He stood there for a few seconds and then asked "why am I using this?"

He told us "I love fireworks. I'm not scared anymore." But - we rushed back to Tidewater, waited for the display until 10:15 and finally we decided to call it a night - I went to put Kingsley down and Jack followed me in saying "I want to stop waiting for the fireworks". The kids were exhausted, having never seen so late into the night. Nonetheless - a great holiday!!