Mommy's little helper

Blake has become quite the little helper. He loves to help {most of the time}. The other day I was doing dishes and he was at my feet wanting my attention so I thought maybe he'd like to help and he sure did! 

He threw a fit when all the dishes were done, I think he would have washed dishes all day if I let him! I'm just hoping this liking of doing the dishes sticks, because when he's 10 he'll be doing the dishes wether he likes it or not!

Valentines Day! {I realize Valentines Day was over a month ago}

So I know this is supper extremely late, but remember this post awhile back, well I had intentions of sharing with you what Blake was working on in those pictures but some how Valentines Day came and went and I never got around to sharing what he made! {I think it was the sickness that hit our house combined with leaving for Virginia all right around Valentines Day that caused the lack of a Valentines Day post}

He made handprint hearts! It was a fun activity to do with him! However, now he thinks that he can color his hand with marker to make a handprint.

 We sent them out to his grandmas and grandpas, great-grandmas and great-grandpas, aunt, and cousins and a few little friends. It was supper easy, although I only did a few handprints at a time so I gave myself lots of time to complete them and get them in the mail before Valentines Day. 

I think they all enjoyed getting some little handprints in the mail!

Now, if you like to plan ahead you have an idea for next year!

Snow Day in March!

Today we woke up to this...

a winter wonderland.

I think yesterday was the first day of spring but you wouldn't know it by looking out our window!

Blake had so much fun playing in it. He threw a fit when we came into eat breakfast. As soon as breakfast was over, him and Russ were back outside!

All day it was "no, no, no!" meaning snow. We didn't make it back outside in the afternoon because it was pretty slushy and really wet snow. It continued to snow all day without sticking and then tonight at about 7:30 it started sticking again, so I'm sure we'll be back out playing in it tomorrow morning!

The snow has been great fun, but really spring we would like you too!

21 Months!!

Blake is 21 months old today! I can hardly believe that in three short months he will be 2! Where did my baby go?! I know I say this all the time, but I just can't believe how fast he has grown. 

This is the face he gives me when I ask him to smile for the camera

 It looks like he is posing in the picture, but I actually just happened to click the camera at the right time. Seconds later he was doing this...

busting a move... what he does best!

Some 21 months stats...

He weighs around the 22lb mark

He talks constantly. Most of his words are jabber and I can't understand them. Words I can understand are; mama, dada, bye, hi, ball, hot, bubbles (mean bath), I love you (sounds more like one word), yoyo (yogurt), Re-Re (Raven), Melmo (Elmo), night-night, I know there are more I'm missing and I'm sure when he finally starts really talking I am sure he won't stop.

He says hi and bye to random people in the grocery stores. They think it's pretty cute and I think most of them think he can say more and then he doesn't, he keeps saying "hi, hi, hi".

He went on his first major plane ride!

He now has 2 cousins!

Still sits rear facing in the car. Will probably turn the car seat around when he turns 2. But he doesn't seem to mind being rear facing.

He sleeps about 7:30-8pm-6:45am with one 2-3 hour afternoon nap.

He loves to dance!

He loves to help unload the dishwasher and its hard for him to understand that the dirty dishes need to stay in the dishwasher.

He loves playing at the park and has started throwing fits when it's time to leave {if you can imagine that!}

He loves Elmo and watching Sesame Street!

He is one busy, active toddler!

AND...

HE IS GOING TO BE A BIG BROTHER!!

Baby #2 is on the way! Due September 2012!

Long plane ride, new baby and Washington DC!

{so this post ended up being supper long... probably the longest post I've ever made, sorry!}

I can't believe we've been back for almost 2 weeks and I am just now getting around to posting about our trip! So I'll get right to it! 

Our plane boarded at about lunch time on a Wednesday. Which was both good and bad, good because I figured B would hopefully nap {since it was a 3.5 hour flight!} but bad because I didn't want to have a hungry little guy on my hands. We had quite a bit of time to kill before we boarded the plane so I thought getting a bagel {which he loves} to eat would keep him occupied and fill his little tummy. {just a random side note... did you know that the Starbucks in the Portland airport does not have a toaster, I asked to have the bagel toasted and the gal said they didn't have a toaster and then I asked if I could at least have the bagel cut in half and she said they didn't have knifes either?! I thought this was a little ridiculous! Are they afraid some psycho is going to steal a knife and then hijack a plane?! I guess it could happen but, really?!}

Yay! We made it on the plane! Now to sit for 3 and half full hours!!!! I was a little anxious about this haha! But Blake surprised me and did an awesome job! He sat in my lap for the whole time!! He napped for about an hour but the rest of the time he watched some Melmo, {Elmo, thank goodness for the iPad!} colored, stuck stickers everywhere and visited with the nice older man sitting next to us. B did a great job, but I now have a new found respect for mothers who travel with little ones {like my sister!} it's not an easy job!

We had a 2 hour lay over in Chicago. He loved walking up and down the moving walk way things in the middle of the airport, we probably did that a hundred times between there and back!

We got into Reston about 10pm east coast time. Which only felt like 7pm to us.

We spent Thursday just relaxing around the house and letting the boys play.

Trouble One and Trouble Two! They had so much fun together!!

Friday I got the opportunity to do some site seeing. Reston is about 30min out side of Washington DC. My dad and Carlos played tour guide for me. It was so great to finally see some of our Nation's History!

Washington Monument

 World War II Memorial

At the World War II Memorial they have all the states etched into the stone. There is usually a fountain in the middle of it but it wasn't on when we were there.

 The Lincoln Memorial

This is where the Reflecting Pool usually is. I don't know if you can tell from this picture but it is under construction right now. They are lining the bottom with marble!

The Lincoln statue was HUGE! So neat to finally see! 

 Korean War Memorial

"FREEDOM IS NOT FREE"

So true. We saw the Marines from Quantico Marine Base touring and it made me realize what they are doing for our country. Our freedom is not free, so if you are someone reading this who has served our country, I thank you, you and your family for your sacrifice.

Vietnam Memorial

It was surreal to see all those names.

The White House

 Ford's Theater where President Lincoln was assassinated.

The house across the street form Ford's Theater where Lincoln died.

The room he died in {kind of weird to think about!}

 The Capitol

Apparently the day we were at the Capitol there was a suicide bomb attempt. Security seemed very present, armed men seemed everywhere but in light of today's world we just figured that's how it always was. Little did we know it was most likely that way because of a bomb threat!

 We had a beautiful day, a little on the cold side but it was nice and sunny! Between all that we saw we figured we walked about 6+ miles. Thank you Dad and Carlos for showing me around DC!

That evening we went to a mall. We took the boys to Build a Bear and they each got to make a bear.

B made a Black Bear named Re-re and T made a Brown Bear named Dude. They loved their bears!

On Saturday my Aunt Peggy {my mom's sister} and her two girls Kristen and Katie came to visit. They live in the Philadelphia area. We only see them about every other year so it was fun to see them on a year we wouldn't normally get to!

We also had to say good-bye to my dad on Saturday.

After they all headed home we headed to Georgetown!

Have you ever head of the TLC show DC Cupcakes? It's in Georgetown and yes, we waited in line for an hour just to try one {or 8} of their famous cup cakes! Which were pretty delicious!

 Georgetown University {from afar}

 The line went all the way up the street!

 Yummy cupcakes!

There were tons of fun restaurants all over Georgetown, but were did we end up, with two melting down toddlers who needed dinner that minute and not a minute later and a new born, who is probably the easiest baby I've ever met, yep, that's right we ended up at Qudoba. And you would think that that black stuff all over B's mouth would be from a chocolate cupcake which we had just purchased, but no its black beans, surprisingly his favorite! As I'm sure you guessed, we sadly did not spend much time at all in Georgetown. Oh, how life changes with kids! If I ever make it back I would love to spend more time there sans B!

By now I bet you are thinking, "wow they sure did a lot with having 2 toddlers and a newborn!" We did at first but then things slowed down, we all got a little worn down {if you can imagine that, ha!} and Michelle and I came down with colds. 

Now, finally onto the whole reason we went to Virginia... Baby Logan!

Isn't he so sweet!

Like I said earlier he is probably the easiest newborn I've ever met. He only really cried when he was having his diaper changed and he was fine with just chillin in his little bassinet thing or the swing. He was so sweet! It's amazing how quickly your forget how tiny they are.

B and his new cousin!

 Sunday morning we didn't get to church but B some how found T's little story bible and sat down with it and they both started looking through it. It was pretty funny and cute but lasted about 2 minutes {just long enough to get the picture}.

Monday we hung out around the house till after nap time and then we headed to an Outlet Mall. This outlet mall was HUGE. It had everything. There is shopping everywhere in that area! It kind of made me appreciate the simplicity of where we live, but don't get me wrong it would be nice to have more options other then Target, Old Navy and Ross!

The whole week we tried to get a picture of the boys sitting nicely next to each other. Here's what we got...

Michelle's expression in this one says it all!

 Crazy boys!

And finally a semi good one!

Tuesday was my mom's birthday! In the morning her and I took the boys down to the Town Center that is within walking distance from their house. We didn't last long since it was freezing cold!

And the boys just weren't having it.

That night we went out to dinner to celebrate my mom's birthday and opened her present and had a cupcake.

 Helping grandma open her present

Instead of happy birthday T says "Happy Cake to you!" it's pretty cute!

Wednesday came way too fast. Saying good-bye has not gotten easier over the last 4 almost 5 years since Michelle and Carlos made the move across the country. 

I was thankful to have my mom to help with the long trek back home. 

Blake did pretty well again. Thankfully he did this....

for the last 2 hours of our flight. After all it did feel like 9pm to him. 

It was a great trip! Thank you dad and mom for making it possible!

{and if you've made it all the way to the end, I'm impressed! and you probably want to do what B is doing in that last picture ha!}