13 March 2014

The Kids Are Alright--Part 3

My poor, neglected blog. It needs a kick start in the worst possible way.  I don't know if an overshare about my kids will do the trick, but it's worth a shot, right?

Youngest goes first!
Two year old Harper has heard rumors of this thing called the terrible twos and is trying her hardest to execute it.  It's too bad for her that at two I can still kind of laugh at her "tantrums."  Talk to me when she's three and I'll be singing a different tune, I'm sure. 
 She's starting to talk for reals now, and although most words are still only understood by her parents...Oftentimes not even then.  She never complains though, and frequently gives us a pass when she's accepted that we are just not understanding what she's saying. 
Her stranger anxiety is still at an epic high, and she still prefers her mom to pretty much anyone else, and you only sometimes hear me complaining about this fact.  
  

She's always very concerned about where Holden is.  Whether that's because she wants to be around him or she's worried about her safety is unclear, but we hear a lot of "Hodie, where ahh you?" which is just as cute as you think it is.
She's growing!  The doctor tried to call her chubby at her check up but ate his words when her stats showed up perfectly in proportion.  (34 inches and 27 lbs 13 oz = 65% for  both height and weight).  Poor girl can't help it that she carries most of her weight in her thighs.

               

Firstborn!
Holden continues to think that he is in charge at our house.  He knows best, and if someone disagrees, it must just be that they don't understand.  Because if they did, surely they would agree with him.  Needless to say, it leads to some headbutting at our house.  But it also means he is bright and energetic and wants so badly to be a grownup that I could sit and listen to him talk for hours.  And I do.  Because that kid can talk.

He is enjoying preschool and is already planning a graduation party for himself.  He asked his preschool teacher to call me to bring him a dollar so he could get an ice cream cone on the way home, so clearly his priorities are right where they need to be.

 

He cannot wait until the day he can use the Lagoon season pass he got for Christmas, and he will tell you the height requirements for every ride in the park.  Being 44 inches (and 46 lbs) (55% and 75%, respectively), he doesn't quite make the cut for all of them, but is diligently eating his vegetables to get a little taller by summer.
Holden does not have stranger anxiety, and wants to be around people all the time.  He makes friends with anyone he can and loves attention from anyone who will give it.  I'm crossing my fingers that no strangers with candy come calling when I'm not around, because I'm quite confident he'd be in the back of that creeper van in two seconds, despite our stranger danger talks.


Basically, I obviously have the best kids in the world.  And though I can't honestly say I'm enjoying every minute of these ages, I CAN say that I'm enjoying them a lot, and that you better believe I will be soaking up my last few months of having both my kids around full time.

03 March 2014

Harper Turns TuTu

Although Harper will probably hate having a winter birthday most of her life (as those of us with winter birthdays tend to do)  I, for one am thankful that her birthday provides a break in the monotony that is a Utah winter.  
We celebrated Harper turning two with a low key tutu bash that was easy to execute and still involved a bazillion yards of tulle, so I count Harper's birthday as a success! Except for yet another cake fail.  Thankfully Kneaders came through with yummy tarts, because as my good friend Christian Bale would say, cake baking and I are officially done professionally.  


I drank about 10,000 Italian sodas (and am still benefiting from the yummy Sonic ice leftover in my freezer) so it's safe to say those were my favorite part.


It was a small crowd this year, so we Facetimed in our newly residing in Chicago peeps to make things a little more festive.

Harper loved being the star of the show and continues to sing Happy Birthday to herself every day, so I think she had fun, too.


And since I'm fully aware that when it comes to a birthday party for a two year old, it's all more for me than them, I made sure Harper's actual big day was all about her.  We celebrated with cupcake pajamas, whipped cream on our breakfast oatmeal, the birthday girl's request for "chiiiicken!!!" for lunch, trips to the children's museum and the park (since the weather could not have been more perfect), and presents and sugar cookies bars (I was serious about the no more cake thing) when Reo got home.  Even the toughest members of our family to please (I'm looking at you, Holden) considered the day a win!