Easter Bunny and Hair Cuts

Easter Bunny 2013

 Today we went for our annual photo op with the creepy Easter bunny at the NWA mall.  If you'll remember we've had some issues with Mary Ella and Santa, but every.single.year she smiles and sits with this 1980-costumed bunny.  Apparently, Rhett likes him too! ;)

A yummy treat for good Easter bunny behavior

 After our cookies, we went to Barnes and Noble for some free entertainment.  Do you ever take your kids there?  Obviously, there's the books.  But they also have a lego table, and my kids love to get up and sing and dance on the little Winnie the Pooh stage.  No, I should be embarrassed about that?  After B&N, we went to Pigtails and Crewcuts for Easter-fresh haircuts.  We love that place!  Why don't we have one in Jackson?

Before

Almost after

Yogurt Bath

 This is what happens when Rhett gets control of the spoon. And he wants it now all.of.the.time.  I think he may lose some of that baby fat soon, because he gets as much on him as he gets in his mouth.  He (and my kitchen) are constant messes!

 

 

 

Another yogurt attack morning

Daddy's 33rd

Best pic I could get at Char brunch

Last Sunday, on 3-3-13 Brad turned 33.  The Friday before he got the big "V."  Now, I didn't make him do it, and I certainly didn't schedule it on his birthday weekend.  I think when we decided it was time, he called and scheduled everything as soon as possible, so he wouldn't chicken out.  And let me tell you, up until the day before I thought he WAS going to back out.  We are done, and we both are happy with that decision, but I didn't realize what terror it brings to the manhood business.  He tried to say that since all those 3s had aligned, that surely it meant we were supposed to have a third child.  Then, when we both bit into a baby in 2 separate King Cakes, he said that surely that meant we were supposed to have another baby.  Ha!  Now listen people, he does not want another baby!  And neither do I!  And I didn't make him do it!   I just thought his shenanigans were hilarious and worth documenting.  Maybe he won't kill me for sharing.  Happy 33rd birthday to you, BABY!

I want to remember...

A bedtime conversation over the weekend:

Mary Ella: "Mommy, I don't think we can be best friends anymore."

Me: "Why not?"

Mary Ella: "Because Jesus is my best friend."

Me: "Baby, He's the best friend you'll ever have."

Cutie Patooties

 I haven't taken a lot of pictures with my good camera since Christmas, but here are the cutie patooties cooperating for the camera.  Ha!  Enjoy!

 

 

Messes!  Happy March!

16 Months

This is what it's like trying to get a picture of you at 16 months!

 

On the move!

Mr. GQ

He kept getting mad at me when I sat him back in his chair.

This captures my sweet and active boy!

Looking at the mowers out the window

He loves the sound of heavy machinery ;)

 

 

Sweet Rhett,

Sixteen months sounds awfully close to 18 months, which is half-way to 2, and that just cannot be!  You are rocking our world these days in the best way possible.  Mommy is really having to "let go" of what I want the house to look like.  I hardly have time to get anything done for keeping a constant eye on you.  You stay busy, busy destroying every room you enter.  You are walking!  Yay!  But more about that later...

Here's what you've been up to:

• I think you are slimming up some.  You refuse to let us feed you, so I don't think you're eating quite as much.  That's because you get as much food on you, in your high chair, and on the floor as you do in your mouth.  You are terrible with utensils, but you insist on trying to eat (play) by yourself.  Yogurt doesn't quite seem worth the dairy. ;)  You also think it's funny to put food on your head.  You and your sister giggle about it.  And every single time I put your plate on your high chair tray, you turn it over and dump the food out.
• You have been cutting 5 teeth this month!  Yikes!  Two molars on top, 2 molars on bottom, and one more on the left side bottom.  That makes 11 chompers for you!
• You started walking on Saturday, February 9th.  For about a month before you had been taking 1-4 steps.  But that day we counted 6 and 7 and 8 and 12, and then you were walking across a room.  Your first few weeks of walking were adorable.  You walked like Frankenstein with your arms up, legs wide, and booty stuck out.  You are more smooth and confident now, but I'd still say you are the epitome of the word "toddler."  I think walking wears you out because you are so ready for nap and bedtime every day.  And sometimes near that time you want me to carry you instead of walk.  Or maybe you're just going through a clingy phase ;)  Sometimes you try to walk faster or run, and it turns into looking like a run that goes down hill.  You eventually fall, but you can hang on for a while.
• New words: cheese (for the camera), clean (when I sing the clean up song, but it sounds the same as cheese), ease (please), mo (more), bubble, baby, show, Gigi, llama, eye.  You also say something for blanket, your froggy, and paci.
• You "quack quack" for a duck, "baa" for a sheep, put your arm up and make an elephant sound, blow out for a horse, roar for a lion, tiger and bear, "moo" for a cow, and something for a cat and dog.
• Every time you see a Razorback you say, "go go" for "go Hogs go!"
• You can sing the tune of the song "Creepin."  Props for this go to Daddy.
• You wave and say "bye bye" and blow kisses.
• You can sign "more," "please," and "drink."
• You can point to your eyes, nose, mouth, head, and hair.  It is so cute when you scrunch up your nose and sniff in and out when I ask about your nose.
• You pat your chest when I say, "Where's Rhett?"  And sometimes you say, "boo."
• You point to things and try to count to 3.
• You go around all day pointing to pictures and saying "Dada."
• You love to play peek-a-boo, and get tickled at yourself when you don't come out for a while.
• At story time you love Eye Winker Tom Tinker, Mother and Father, Humpty Dumpty, hitting the tambourine, walking in the circling and stopping when Ms. Lizzie says stop, Handy Spandy, London Bridge, and Two Little Monkeys.
• You hum along when I sing, and I really think you hum on tune to "Jesus Loves Me," The Arkansas Fight Song, and "You are my Sunshine."
• I love it when you pat your Bible.  You just love Bible class!  I'm so thankful we have room for a nursery class for you in our new church building.  I teach on Sunday mornings and Mrs. Nancy teaches on Wednesday night.  You are the only one in the class, and I was worried you might not want to sit in the table seats.  But you do, and I'm sooo glad you will have this transition and know what Bible class is about before you move up to the 2 year old class and are expected to sit in your chair.
• You like to play with Mary Ella's baby dolls and stuffed animals.  You hold them to your chest and pat them.
• You still love Baby Einstein, and you're still loving books.
• You are always under my feet in the kitchen, so you have a cabinet with plastic things to keep you entertained.
• Your favorite things to play are about the same: cook in ME's kitchen, knock down blocks, drag every toy out, dance to any toy with music, push buttons, ride in your cozy coupe and on your airplane, throw balls, and you push cars and trucks with your own sound effects.  It's amazing how little boys know to do that!
• You love our babysitter, Ann Louise.  You reach for her at church and are never ready for her to leave.
• Okay, this just happened tonight, and it may be a fluke, but you did it twice and Daddy witnessed both times.  You love to get ME's soft alphabet letters out of her toy box.  You drag them into the leaving room and do your grunt until we open them.  Usually you dump them all out and move on to the next thing.  Brad only got out a few for you tonight.  You picked up the "R," and said "R" to him.  Then you brought it in the kitchen, showed it to me, and said, "R."  Now, maybe it will never happen again, but you do often point to the letters above your crib, and I tell you what they are.  We'll see.  You may be a kid genius! ;)
• We love you so, so much sweet little man!  You are Mommy's sunshine!

Interview at 3 1/2

What is your name? Mary Ella

How old are you? one-two-three, that's it Mom

What is your favorite color? pink

Who is your best friend? Emma

What is your favorite animal? gorilla

What do you want to be when you grow up? Dorothy (during her Mulan phase she would have said she wanted to fight the Huns for China when she grew up)

What is your favorite movie? Merida (Brave)

What is your favorite book? Princesses book

What makes you happy? funny faces

What makes you sad? when I'm sad enough when somebody's angry

What is your favorite food? cereal- Lucky Charms

What is your favorite song to sing? Jesus Loves Me, this I know...

What is your favorite game to play? Letter Game