Hooray for Big Boys!

Operation Big Boy is in full swing. Today, we entered Phase I...no more suckers. We had big success with making a "sucker monkey" for AJ, we decided to head back to Build-a-Bear for Robert. The whole family talked up the big day and we hopped in the car to say goodbye to suckers forever!

Everyone, meet Ellie Phunt!    

Pressing the pedal to stuff Ellie!

Keeping those suckers safe in Ellie's belly!

Ellie gets lots of hugs already!

Ellie comes with his own house too!!

Of course he insists on carrying Ellie in his house by himself. 

Notice that Monkey has been resurrected from the stuffy bin as well. 

Beyond Excited

For once, I'm excited for the kids to wake up in the morning. It would be a very nice Christmas miracle if they both slept until at least 6:00 AM. ;-)

I can't wait to see what the boys think of what Santa brought them!

It's almost time!

Christmas is just around the corner and I can hardly wait. I think I'm more excited than the boys!!  Check out the present that AJ got in the mail today...all the way from the Big guy himself at the North Pole. 

Because how else is Santa supposed to get in when we don't have a chimney?!

"I REALLY REALLY Need to Talk to Santa!"

The boys are growing fast...and so is their list for Santa!  This year, we stocked up on all of the toy catalogs that came in the mail and let AJ have at it. He circled pictures and put stickers on all those fancy wish-list items and we sent his list with a letter to Santa off to the North Pole. 

As Christmas is getting closer, the anticipation of what the jolly big guy will bring is ramping up. AJ's number one wish list item has been mentioned at least a dozen times. And you can't even imagine the excitement that sprung from his little body when a commercial came on for this hot ticket toy. "MummyMummyMummy!  It's the BATTLE SHIP!!!! oh I wish I could need that!"

Of course like every parent, we have to keep reminding AJ that he needs to be a good boy, to remember his good listening ears, and be nice to his brother (because Santa is watching after all). A few days ago on our way home from school, AJ announced that he "really really needed to talk to Santa" so he could tell him that he was "a good listener and gets green" (the color of good behavior on his behavior chart at home and at school). When I asked why it was so important, he said that he had to make sure Santa knew he wanted the battle ship. 

Well, we got our opportunity to see Santa at Engine 6 yesterday and wouldn't you know, he actually talked to Santa and told him alllll about it. He even took a picture...our first without him crying hysterically.  Even Robert followed AJ's "almost 4 year old" big brother queues and had a chat with Santa!  

It was an awesomely good time!

Looks Like we Made it!

FINALLY!!! The kitchen renovation is done!!! We weathered the end of the summer and early fall without a functioning kitchen for several weeks.  Trust me when I tell you that it’s not fun washing dishes in a bucket with the garden hose (or in the tiny half bathroom sink).  And that eating take-out (all. the. time.) is not what it’s cracked up to be.  But we made it!  It’s done.  We hung the last finishing touch (the beautiful roman shade) over the window last week and our kitchen is DONE!

Take a peek at some of the before and after photos!  I LOVE everything about the new kitchen and I can’t pick a single favorite detail.

 

 

 

Happy Birthday, Robert!!

Robert is a two year old force to be reckoned with!  Robert officially entered "the terrible twos" last Monday (although unofficially he's been acting out the terrible twos since he's 15 months old).  

His favorite word is "No!" and as of late we just can't seem to keep pants on the child. *sigh*.  But all that aside, we love him just the same. It hardly seems possible that our "baby" is turning into a big boy (a big boy who has done pee pee in the potty at least three times now!").