And just like that he’s driving

I was supposed to post about the beach today, but that takes too long and we were up way too late last night. The third grade team held our third annual fundraiser for Haitian Earthquake relief and we made it a family affair. Of course that also means everyone woke up early this morning and I have already been covered in poop twice before work this morning. Sigh.

Tuesday night I needed a few items for school from the store and the Irishman was running late. He offered to pick them up on his way home, but I was hoping for an early bedtime and Caitlin wanted a trip to Publix so I decided to chance it.

Taking two to the store at once is tricky. I usually wear Sean in the Ergo, but on a whim I suggested to Caitlin that he might try to sit in the “green car” with her. She loved the idea.

So did Sean. Of course when we went to get our sprinkle cookie they gave Sean one, too.

He looks heartbreakingly grown up in this picture.

He drove.

He flirted with the girls.

It was a big day -

complete with balloons!

(Don’t let the look on his face fool you. Balloons are one of his favorite things in life. That look is the “Don’t you dare get between me and my balloon” look!)

Swimming for Naps

We started the rainy season early this year, so last weekend was our first trip to the pool in a while. Caitlin was thrilled with the idea and couldn’t wait to get there.

We don’t yet have our pool and beach bags yet to the "always ready to grab and go” state so we had to fish around for the floats and hats and sunscreen. I’m pretty sure Caitlin thought we’d never get there!

Caitlin is fearless with her Puddle Jumpers on, but getting her into swim lessons is on our must do list for the summer.She has a fear of “the man” which is really any man (repair man, lawn guy, random stranger on the street) she doesn’t know. We are on the search for a female teacher who won’t spook her.

Daddy wouldn’t fix Sean’s hat for their picture together. He said that was the way the famous cyclists of his youth wore their hats. Silly!

Caitlin spent most of her time climbing up and down the steps and jumping off towards the middle of the pool.

Caitlin doesn’t let anything by her these days. Another family bought drinks from the vending machine. She didn’t even know it was there until then, but she had to have it. Mostly she just stands back and watches when there is something or someone new that she wants to figure out.

Sean played and splashed happily and then fell asleep after I nursed him. He took a nap in the stroller poolside while the rest of us swam.

The Irishman walked Sean home in the stroller and shortly after they got home Caitlin too took a nice long nap.

There is nothing like the pool to wear the kids out!

What do you want?

We’d gotten back from a christening party at about 6:30 and were thinking about going out for ice cream for “dinner” because we’d already eaten a late lunch. Here is Caitlin’s reaction…

She’s a silly girl!

Special Movie

Sunday we stopped by Costco to pick up a couple of things I’d forgotten on my trip there the day before. The kids had both just woken up from a nap so we all ventured in the store. The only stroller we had with us was the double, so we gave Caitlin a choice of the stroller or the shopping cart. She surprised us both by choosing the stroller. Everyone seemed happy.

As soon as we walked in she started fussing and asking for “special movie.” The Irishman and I had no idea what she was on about, so eventually I suggested they go look at the big TVs.

That was not what she wanted.

She was getting pretty insistent as we got to the check out.

It suddenly made sense.

They have a giant sign larger than Caitlin advertising the SMOOTHIES on the wall in front of the check out lane.

Turns out she wanted a SPECIAL SMOOTHIE. We won’t be making that mistake again!

Puddin’ Paint

Caitlin LOVES to paint. She got into it last December when we were making the handprint and footprint calendar. It doesn’t matter what kind of paint…she loves it all!

For some variety we tried pudding painting again. The last time Caitlin was much younger and she didn’t want to get her hands dirty in the chocolate mess. This Caitlin helped me "cook" some instant vanilla pudding pudding . I added some food coloring when she wasn't looking. Caitlin had a blast!

Funny enough she refused to taste it. I guess eating paint was too much for her! (Though Daddy might have had a spoonful or two!)

She started with a brush

and then the spoon -

and somehow we ended with my two-year old standing in a puddle of pudding on my good cookie sheet!

Nothing like an early bath after some messy fun on a Sunday afternoon!

The Boys in Green (And the Girl in Pink)

Ireland plays in the European Cup this summer. Auntie Chris sent the Irishman and the kids some shirts to help them get in the spirit. When I dressed Sean in his new shirt for Mass a certain Irishman decided he too should show his national pride.

Caitlin wore a new outfit from Uncle Michael’s family, It might be pink, but it came from Ireland. Does that count?

I’m sure it will be a green summer!

(Unless you are a pink princess…)

Though I’m sure Daddy will work on that -

and I’m sure we’ll have a green princess soon enough!

My Guys

I just came across this photo from my camera. We took it at my grandparents’ house on Mother’s Day. It is similar to another one we took a while back. I forgot it was on my camera and it made me smile today to find it. I love those guys!

This one or this one?

I have no idea what prompted it, but this weekend Caitlin discovered clothes. She went into her messy closet and pulled out two hangers at a time asking for our opinions. My phone was dying but I managed to snap a video of the process.

She was at it for over an hour. I would put all the clothes back and then she would start over. Eventually I told her I had to go feed Sean and she didn’t miss a beat. “Daddy! Come upstairs please!”

As she pulled out EVERY piece of clothing she owns it became very clear that I really needed to go through the clothes the kids have outgrown. I ended up with almost two diaper boxes worth between the two of them! (I was tempted to post an after shot of the closet. It is SO much better now!) Of course the next day as I cleaned out the clothes Caitlin came over again with “This one or this one?”

I have to say I find this video almost frightening. If this is her at two, imagine the teen years!

Only Half Done

Good morning!

I feel like everything I am doing is started and not finished right now.  The laundry is half done (not the half I need mind you), only half the packages we are supposed to mail are ready, I planned lessons for half the week before I fell asleep. It is frustrating me.

The blog post for today is the same. I uploaded the video from my phone but have no time to upload it. Come back tomorrow for a really funny Caitlin video.

The Nose Wrinkle

The Irishman sent me this picture earlier in the week. Sean does this thing where he wrinkle up his nose. It is the cutest thing I have ever seen.

Morgan thinks he looks angry. I disagree. Either way, I love it enough to post again here even though it was before I washed the high chair straps.

~~~~~~~

Yesterday afternoon I left school feeling great. I had arranged a Mystery Skype for my class. We talked via Skype with a class of second graders near Cincinnati, OH and asked yes/no questions to try to guess the other’s location. I had kids on Google Maps, using atlases, typing the questions on the iPads using wireless keyboards, and others posting video/photos to a school version of Facebook. It was awesome. I have spent most of the year trying to find balance with work and school, but I felt great when I left work yesterday.

Then I picked up the kids and Caitlin ran out into the parking lot ahead of me. She cried for 30 minutes on the way home because I didn’t have any pretzels for her. I’d forgotten to put the stroller back in the car and Caitlin wouldn’t walk into the house. I had my hands full with Sean and bags. We got home and I was annoyed at how much housework there was to do, and then a certain two-year-old dumped every toy we own on top of me on the couch.

The Irishman and I worked together and got the house back together. It isn’t perfect, but it is better. He fell asleep putting the kids to bed. Today is teacher appreciation day at the kids’ day care (we found out yesterday morning) so I decided to bake chocolate chip cookies. I enjoy baking.

I burnt the whole first batch because I read the time from the high altitude directions.

Sigh.

It wasn't awful. I can atually laugh about it all now after a night's rest, but it is the kind of thing that makes you shake your head and say, "Really?"

TGIF!

Mother’s Day Lunch

I sent the Irishman an e-mail last week about a Mother’s Day special at one of our favorite local places. They were offering a special surf and turf for under $15 and I thought it sounded good. My husband didn’t take it seriously. I didn’t think that was what I was asking for for Mother’s Day.

Did I mention that we were at lunch during the end of the soccer season? As in I asked my husband to take me to a sports bar for the last game of the soccer season to eat steak and lobster. He was thrilled! The games were really exciting…so much so that he screamed out, “YES!” when Man City won their game and the entire restaurant stared at him. Classic!

In all honesty though I loved it! The food was excellent and the company was even better. These are all phone pictures so they are not the best quality, but I love the joy in the kids’ faces even if the photos are a little blurry!

Before kids the Irishman would sometimes snap pictures of a special meal to show his dad. After kids he is still taking pictures of us plate, but now it has a rogue chicken strip added in.

Sean was desperate for some lobster tail. His father was proud of that!

Caitlin offered to drive home for us, but I didn’t take her up on the offer…yet!

(I am sure my grandmother is reading this shocked because we went to her house for dinner that afternoon. Sean has been in a growth spurt. I have been hungry for the last two weeks. We went to lunch early and still got to enjoy dinner with the family – it was a perfect Mother’s Day!)

The BIG Red Dog

The PTO gave each teacher $40 to spend at the Scholastic Warehouse Book Fair. I have been teaching for almost 10 years now, so my classroom library is older than my third graders and my books are falling apart.

This book fair is usually really good and the Irishman enjoys it as much as I do. I expected to find a Clifford book or two at a good price so we decided to bring Caitlin along. I told her we would get a Clifford book. Imagine the surprise when we walked in and saw this:

“It’s CLIFFORD, Mommy!”

“BIG hug!”

“And a Kiss”

I had some shopping to do, so I took Sean in the cart while the Irishman followed around the pint-sized Clifford fan. He shot some video of the fun.

We did find a Clifford book, but we also found a copy of Pete the Cat. This YouTube video is one of her favorites, so she recognized it right away. She has been walking along, singing this song…

She is old enough for non-board books. My little girl flips through the pages herself retelling the story. She is getting so big!

Sean took a picture with the Big Red Dog, too.

At least I can count on Clifford to make my babies seem smaller!