February fun and March madness

We tried to start reading lessons with Zola but she is still too young for that. But, I decided to start learning the sounds in a fun and Montessori way. As she was painting her M she said, "mmmm, like delicious!" Clever. It took me a minute to understand. 

 She is so good with Andrew. They play and play. He is a little spoiled with attention. When she is busy with something else- he really misses her.

Dennis brings a lot of things home from school and once in a while he brings something that I think is absolutely wonderful! Here is his pigeon. Pretty good, if you ask me. "Don't let the pigeon drive a car".

 At the ice rink enjoying the last day of Hockey... until his spring league starts up the next week.

 He improved so much during the season, we are so proud. His coaches gave him a water bottle.

 chubby hands are so irresistible.

 obviously Andrew thinks so too.

 He loves chewing on his fingers.

 Me and my boys took a sunday afternoon nap. Well, not Dennis.

 These two are the best of friends.

 Andrew is sitting up in his swing!

 Our first walk in the stroller. It is so beautiful out! We love the spring warm sun after a long cold winter. :)

 Andrew is learning to grab things on his exersaucer. He gets a little frustrated when he can't make it all the way to his mouth with the object.

 ... and another lovely day for a walk. We went to the library.

 We love this boy.

 I mean, check out that smile!

 These two were so excited to get new kayaks for the cabin! We can't wait to try them out this summer.

 Andrew's favorite place to be... snuggled up close to mom.

Wisconsin Dells

Randy and his family were going on a road trip down to florida and their first stop was at Wisconsin Dells. We got a super good deal and decided to join them. It was only 2.5 hours away and we got to go tubing, ride on some amusement rides and play at the indoor water park with slides and a lazy river. ALL IN ONE DAY! 

We all took turns watching the babies while the others went down the super fun tubing hill. Zola's job was to watch Bode and she was in heaven. He sat on her lap inside a tube. They snuggled until her legs went numb (he kind of weighs a lot).

We got there first thing in the morning with a super short line. It quickly got as long as where Ryan and Dennis are hanging out. Then we started walking up the hill instead of getting towed up.

After I made it up the big hill treck.

Our group of fun! Dennis, Andrew, Ryan, Me, Zola James, Bode, Chrissy, Owen and Randy

Next stop: Amusement rides... Zola had a blast. She was so excited that she forgot that she needed to stick next to me and would start to wander off.

Her absolute favorite ride! It would spin and go up and down.

Dennis jumped on this ride without really knowing what it was going to do. (its a mini free fall ride). He was happy go lucky when he got on but as soon as it started his face was like he was looking death in the eye. Completely blank and white. Afterwards he said that he had fun but that he didn't want to do it again... it was really scary.

James got to ride it next but he knew what he was getting into and loved it. 

We love hanging out with our cousins!

I didn't take any pictures but we spent the rest of the day at the water park. The water slides were super fun. But what I did most of the time was hang out with Zola. and ride the lazy river. There were little slides for toddlers but Zola is super cautious about other kids. She doesn't want to be in anyones way and she doesn't want anyone in her way... She would climb the stairs and wait at the top until there were no other kids even close to the slide. Then she would think about going down and decide against it and walk down the stairs. This happened over and over. When its the third super fun thing that we did all in the same day, we were all pretty exhausted. In the lazy river Chrissy was holding both Andrew and Bode in the tube and several people asked if they were twins. I love that they will be the same age... built in best friends just like the others.

our crazies

I finally put the tissues where the kids can reach them so that they can be independent when they need a tissue... and well, let's just say that didn't last a full day. Here is the pile of tissues that Zola "used" with one "blow".

Andrew sleeps really well at night. I only have to get up once a night usually around 1 or 2am. But, unfortunately he had a night where we got up much more than that. I felt so tired in the morning especially because I am not in the habit of getting up that many times. But Andrew was super Joyful. He must have really liked all the extra alone time with mommy. You can tell by his gleeful smile. But on the left is the look of determination to get the phone. As soon as he saw it, he wanted it.

Zola was overly dramatic one day and fell to the floor about wanting a snack. Moments later, I looked and she was sound asleep.

Dennis wanted to make a box for his valentines at school... and he had in mind of exactly what he wanted to do. It was so hard for me to just let him do it. I am such a perfectionist when it comes to crafty stuff that I wanted to take over sooooo badly. But, I was able to resist (barely) and Dennis made it all on his own and impressed the dickens out of me. Come to find out... they didn't use them. They just used pink paper bags that they decorated at school.

... and then this happened again the very next day.

... and this happened... She has such flimsy nails that she often gets hang nails and nails that just peel off too short and she was showing me her owie.

Dennis is really into doing his own hair these days. It drives me nuts! Once again... I want to take over and make it look nice but I don't want to hurt his feelings at the same time. Sometimes he ends up going to church with a lot of hairspray- not in these goofy dos but with it plastered to his head. He thinks it looks awesome... flat. I did his hair this past sunday and it was so cute. But he hated it. And the journey continues...

The first time that Zola has played with her baby since Andrew was born 3.5 months ago. Here she was nursing her baby Mason.

... and just because Andrew looks great in dark colors... and I am a little obsessed.

Dennis is getting to be a really good reader. Here he is reading "Are you my mother?" to Zola without having to sound out the words... He is even using narrator voices and character voices. He read it just about as well as I could have. He just tested into the 1B reading group which seems very juvenile still for him. The books that he brings home from school are quite boring. He is starting to read chapter books with me. We started reading the magic tree house books. I am so proud of him.

We are all very excited when Daddy comes home. They love to play horsey with him.

Andrew is getting big! Here he is leaning forward in his swing for the first time!

He doesn't get a shortage of sister Lovins.

Dennis has been to kindergarten for 100 days!!!!

Zola was super cute on her potty dressed like a queen I couldn't resist taking a picture. 

By the time night time comes around she is pretty exhausted and will fall asleep if someone will cuddle with her.