Happy Easter!

We took Hudson to see the Easter Bunny yesterday.  He did a great job!  Reese stood on the other side of the gate around the bunny shouting, "Hi, Easter Bunny!," and waving!  She was pretty cute, but she didn't go sit on his lap. We only take our kids the first year because we don't really "do" the Easter Bunny - here is Wyatt's and here is Reese's.  Both of those links will also explain why we don't tell our kids about the Easter Bunny!

That's all I've got today.  We had a blast and I'll post more about it later this week.  But not tonight.  I'm so tired that I fell asleep during the kids' third Easter Egg Hunt today!

Easter Eggs!

On Monday the kids and I dyed Easter Eggs.  This was my first experience dying eggs since I was a kid, so I was kind of excited too.  I hard boiled the eggs and got everything prepared while the kids took naps (Wyatt still does occasionally take a nap - on the days he doesn't he has a mandatory "quiet time" in his room) so that we could do it as soon as they woke up.  They had a lot of fun watching their eggs color, and Reese has discovered a new found love for hard boiled eggs this week.  She loves them!



Reese was ready to dye some eggs!



The coloring process.  I love these plastic containers.  My grandmother gave them to me a couple of years ago and I think they're super cute!

 

Wyatt was also excited.  He was explaining how the coloring process works.

The finished product.



Reese's eggs.  We had to dip that egg in pink and blue to get the purple egg she demanded.



Reese modeling while she washes her hands!



Sitting!

Hi there.

 My name is Hudson.

 I think my mom forgot to tell you

 that I am getting really good at sitting up by myself.

 The pillows?  They're just there "in case" I fall.

 But I probably won't.  I've been doing this for a week.

 I can't believe my mom didn't tell you.  She's silly.  How could she forget that?

To quote my big brother, "that makes no sense."

At the Beach!

This week has been absolutely gorgeous!  It's truly been a week that makes me incredibly grateful that we live so close to the beach. We are very fortunate because the beautiful weather coincides with spring break - which means that Katie is out of school and able to do a few fun things with us!

After I checked the forecast Sunday, I asked Katie if she wanted to go to the beach with us today.  She said yes, so we went!  My dad was kind enough to watch Hudson (who cried his head off the last time I left him, but was apparently an angel yesterday), so Katie and I just had to take the two big kids.  I was also able to drop my van off to get the oil changed on the way, so I wasn't just relaxing - I was also doing chores!

Wyatt and Reese were both so excited to go to the beach!  They asked about it all day yesterday, and we were actually able to get out of the house on time this morning.  A rarity.  I'm pretty sure my dad was shocked to see us at 9!



The first thing you need to do when you get to the beach is have a snack.  Duh.



And then run around like crazy kids.



Our sweet girl

  

They were running all over the place.  It wasn't very crowded when we got there, and they had a blast.  When Wyatt looked over at the area behind them he said, "Oh,  that's where Marc and April got married."  I mean, do all kids have memories like that?  Because it is crazy that he remembers that!

 

More running. At one point they each stood facing each other and ran to each other to hug.  That's also how they say good night to each other.

Wyatt and Katie

There was a Bobcat on the beach today. I guess they were shuffling sand, but out of all the days of the year, they picked an 83 degree day during spring break?  I don't get it!

We had a few issues today with throwing sand, but for the most part the kids were well behaved.  We went on a short walk to the water (which was freezing, but they begged to go in past their toes!), walked under the pier, and then walked up the pier where we found a ladybug (the kids loved that).  I'm seeing a lot of beach trips in our future this summer, and I know that we will have a blast!

BFF's

In general (very general), Wyatt and Reese get along really well.  Their age difference - while a bit daunting when they were little - is actually really great now.  For the most part they are interested in the same things, the same shows and sometimes (ugh!) the same toys!  But most of the time, these two are incredibly sweet to each other!

I love that she will always have a big brother to protect her and look out for her, and that he will always have a little sister to help keep him in line!

She looks sweet.  He looks like he's about to bash her with that bat.



They look tough!

 

Wyatt wants to let everyone know that he's a "baseball guy."

Now, I love Wyatt and Reese's age difference.  I love Wyatt and Hudson's age difference.  I am not so much a fan of Reese and Hudson's age difference.  She is just a little too rough with him sometimes.  And most of the time, she really just isn't interested in him.  Which was not what I expected.  I thought she'd be all over her new baby brother like a baby doll. But really, she'll walk up to him and think she's being sweet and say, "Oh, little baby Hudson, you're so cute."  And pinch his cheeks.  Or squeeze him too hard.  She's so used to her big brother that she can't tone it down for her little one! I know it will get better, just...not now!

But these two...

 They're going to be

the best of friends too.  Like two peas in a pod.

Wyatt's already asked us for bunk beds.  And Hudson has too.

Just kidding. 

About Hudson.

Hudson's First Haircut!

 My sweet, precious 5 month old has a lot of hair.

Except, now he has a little less.

As you can see, it was getting a little long around his ears...

He looks thrilled.

I know what you're thinking.  He looks like a middle aged man with that comb over and the hair.  I couldn't help it.  Every time I looked at him, I thought about Roy Biggins from Wings. 

Anyway, we had a little bit of time on Monday afternoon while the big kids were preoccupied (read:snacking) to fit in a little trim.  Nothing shocking, just a little clip around the ears, but still so cute!

Chomping on Wyatt's fingers (a new favorite hobby)



Showing off new hair cuts - I'd also taken Wyatt to get his hair cut that morning!

I can't believe how big he is getting!  A hair cut at 5 months?!  He is able to sit on his own for long-ish periods of time now, too! He is growing up so fast and getting cuter by the day!

Wyatt's Spring Program!

Wyatt had his spring program at school on Thursday morning.  The weather was absolutely gorgeous, which was amazing!  These poor kids had their Christmas program (and party) cancelled because of snow and their Valentine's Day party was also postponed because of snow!  I told Brian that if it was ever going to snow in April, it would happen on the day of Wyatt's school activity!

Anyway, the kids all came outside and sang their songs.  Some of the little ones were so shy, but they were adorable.  I don't know how Wyatt's teacher managed to get these ears on him, because he would never wear anything like this for me!

Some pictures of his "performance."  I seriously don't know where he gets the whole "hands in the pockets" thing from!

After they sang they had a little party and the whole school also had an Easter Egg Hunt, which Wyatt loved!  When I picked him up he was so excited that he found four eggs!

And for your viewing pleasure - the video.  He is very excited about shouting, "Bunny Pokey!"

Random iPhone Pictures

I just connected my phone to the computer and I found some random pictures I haven't uploaded to the blog yet, so I thought I'd pass them on through (before I blog about Wyatt's spring program at school, some baseball games and a few other things)..

 Reesie at Wyatt's tee ball game last week.  Completely mischievous.  I am seriously amazed that we ended up with three kids with three totally different hair and eye colors!

 Reesie on guitar, Wyatt on "drums" and back up vocals, Dave Grohl on lead vocals. 

Wyatt is so into the Foo Fighters it's not even funny.  And their new album is great!

 This is how Wyatt plays "catcher."  He turns his baseball hat backwards and puts on his Iron Man mask.

Here's Hudson rocking some of Wyatt's old jammies.  He is just getting bigger and bigger every day!  I can't believe my little guy is going to be 6 months old and eating solids in a couple of weeks!

This last picture is probably a little gross for non sushi lovers, but I had to share!  Last Saturday my mom offered to watch the kids so that we could go out and run a few errands before Wyatt's party, so Brian and I decided to go to our favorite sushi place, Yama, while we were out.  We haven't been in forever because it's far away from our new house, but he's also discovered a sushi buffet that he frequents at lunch.  Anyway, Brian ordered one of his favorite delicacies - newborn octopus.

gross!

I love some sushi - mainly anything "tempura"-ed.  Shrimp tempura, Volcano rolls, candy cane rolls, and then a few other regular pieces of sushi - like salmon.  But newborn baby octopus?  No thanks.  They had missed Brian so much at the place that they gave us a candy cane roll, cheesecake, and a piece of "home decor" on the house.  And no I'm not kidding.  A large glittery golden cat?  Wow! 

Thanks, but no thanks.

Show Us Your Life - My Bookshelf!

Today's Show Us Your Life Friday at Kelly's Korner  is about sharing what we're reading.I am honestly really trying my best to read more.  I used to read all the time when I was little.  Basically, I didn't stop.  I remember an incident in the third grade where my teacher realized that instead of reading the story in my language arts book I was reading a Baby Sitters Club book I had tucked inside of it.  That was fun.  I basically owned every Baby Sitters Club and Sweet Valley twins book when I was little, and then one year I had an unsupervised Study Hall in the library in middle school.  I became even more obsessed with books, and it was there that I discovered my all time favorite novel - Gone With the Wind.  I read it at least once a year.  Margaret Mitchell's writing is just amazing and I love it!  Right now my book list is just a little different:

Earlier this year I was on a reading kick.  I was certain that I was going to be watching less TV with Simon gone from American Idol.  Then I decided I don't hate the judges as much as I was anticipating and I started watching The Biggest Loser for the first time. But before all that I read Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen and I loved it.  I can't wait for the movie to come out next weekend!

I actually have The Help sitting on my nightstand, but I haven't opened it yet!

I have three "parenting" books that I ordered too (I had a Groupon for Amazon and a Living Social deal for Barnes &Noble).  Also on my agenda (and bookshelf) are Cinderella Ate My Daughter (I'm not trying to raise a princess in a world that keeps telling little girls that they are princesses), Sleepless in America (hey, my 4 year old doesn't sleep as much as he needs to), and

The Five Love Languages of Children.

Fortunately all my shows end soon so I'll have a little more free time, and unfortunately, Brian is about to get even busier at work so I'll have no one to hang out with after the kids go to bed.  I know that the best example my kids have of what they should be doing (reading) is me, so I also want to make an effort to not just read to them (which we all love), but tto read in front of them as well!