Easter!!

The Easter Bunny came to visit this year and left some great goodies for the little ones.  He also made sure to take all the colored eggs from our previous post and hide them all around the house for Mallory to find.  She was so excited to find all the eggs and eventually her basket as well.  Her favorite present from the Easter bunny?  An Angry Bird.  She still sleeps with it every night and often times insists on bringing it to the store when we run errands.  

After we found all the eggs and the baskets, my family came by for brunch and a small visit before Aunt EE and Uncle Todd made their way back home.  We had some good food and even managed to get some pictures outside when the sun decided to show :)

 Wes' basket

 Mallory's basket

 The excited and eager little man reaching for his goodies

 Angry Bird got a HUGE hug

 "Look MOM!!  Angry Bird!"

 One of the few times Mallory gets candy before breakfast :)

 Pretty flowers for all to see

 As I called them - Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum

 Serious pose

Funny Faces :)

Coloring Eggs with Jazz Hands

Leave it to Mallory and Liam to turn egg coloring into a a super fantastic coloring - dress up - dancing extravaganza!  These two are so funny to watch.  They carry on the funniest conversations and (often) play so well together.  Liam came over this year to help us color eggs and prepare for the Easter Bunny.  They had a great time coloring the eggs and didn't quite understand the concept of 1 egg per bowl, but that is okay.  Pastel color eggs are just as good as the ones rich in color.  

After the coloring was done, the two scampered off and played in the play room.  Once they emerged, both complete in dress up garb, they jumped up and down, so proud of themselves and obviously having a ball.  Now...to get to the post where the Easter Bunny comes....

Time for Teething

Well, that time has come.  The time for soaked through shirts and bibs.  The time for uneasy sleep, ear pulling, and finger chewing.  The time where everything in reach is fair game for Wes' mouth.  Wes is teething.  Poor little guy, you always feel so bad because you know it has to hurt.  He constantly has something in his mouth and every time I turn around I keep my fingers crossed that it isn't one of Mallory's toys.  Because if it is, it will soon be followed by a high pitch "mommy!!!  He's eating it!"  *sigh*

Wes has successfully pushed through 1 tooth, but there are many more to come.  The good news is that I do recall them being able to self medicate a little better with eat tooth, so here's hoping that reigns true this time around.  Cheers to teethers, infant Tylenol, and pacifiers!

Chicago, March 2012

As stated in the last post, the Poland's packed up shop and headed out to Chicago for a weekend family trip.  Although it was way too short (as it always seems to be) we had a great time.  Mallory has been to Chicago several times, but this was Wes' first trip.  Not only his first trip to Chicago, but his first trip anywhere.  He did....okay.  It doesn't help that he started teething REALLY bad (has since received his first tooth) but he just seemed to get bored in the car.  I remember taking Mallory when she was even younger then him and she slept most of the way.  Wes did sleep, but I wouldn't say most of the way.  I spent a lot of ride in the back entertaining him, but that is okay, it was still worth the ride.  

The cousins loved spending time together and as I mentioned in my last post, Aevan loved having visitors at her house.  We took a ride downtown and took Mallory to the Disney store on Michigan Ave and that was a hit.  She loved looking at the tall buildings and the princesses :)  Can't wait for the next trip.  Fingers crossed the drive doesn't take 8 hours.... 

All about Aevan

 Little Lady Aevan, my sweet little niece.  Love this little girl.  I love seeing her, but because she lives 6 hours away, I don't get to see her as often as I would like.  Last weekend, we all piled in the car and drove the 6 hour, wait no - with 2 kids, it was more like 8 hours to Chicago to visit her and her mommy and daddy.  Upon arriving, I was blown away with how much she has grown.  I can't really say that she looked huge, because although 3 months his senior, Aevan is slightly smaller then her cousin Wes.  However, this petite little lady has earned the nickname I gave her the day she was born, "tiny but mighty."  She is such a cutie who still seems to be the spitting image of her father.  Although her individual features can be drawn back to my sister, she simply screams daddy when you look at her.  With her strawberry hair and hazel eyes, she is so cute it is hard to look away.  I may be a little biased, but I can't get enough of this little lady.

At first, she was quite confused with the house guests.  She just seemed to be overwhelmed with the visitors while watching with disbelief.  So happy to play with Wes, and even happier to watch older cousin Mallory dance around her house like she owned the place.  Every time Aevan came down the stairs with mommy (whether after a diaper change, or in the morning to start her day) she would gasp when she saw us there and begin clapping and smiling as if to applaud that we were still around.  Such a nice welcoming every time she came down the stairs :)

More pictures from Chicago to come, but here are some of my favorites of little Aevan.

Super Hero Berry Picker

On one of the first unexpected spring-like days of March, Mallory, Wes, & I ran out the front door as fast as we could, eager to play in the sun.  Wes and I set up shop by the big oak tree, sprawled out on a blanket with plenty of toys.  Mallory, on the other hand, had no interest in laying on a blanket.  She immediately darted into the yard with a basket, determined to "pick berries" like Princess Aurora.  I wasn't sure what berries were to be found in our yard, but just in case I was sure to explain that she should never put anything in her mouth.  She agreed and sauntered off.  She came back with a basket full of buds from one of our little trees (poor tree).  She was quite excited and wanted me to take a picture of them.  The next fun game was to be bat girl as her shirt portrayed.  She began running and jumping in the air, defeating the evil villains.  Wes and I watched in astonishment from the sidelines and cheered her on.  It was such a nice surprise.  I am not complaining about the early spring - just dreading a super hot summer that I am convinced is on it's way. Must enjoy the cool breeze now while I can....  Happy Early Spring everyone!

My Boys :)