Happy 3rd Birthday Charlie!

Ready for PRESENTS!!

The expensive, cruddy playset...

He was so excited when he opened the train from Aunt Julie!

The boys played a long time with all the new train accessories...

Will and Charlie went out for a while to play "experiments" together...

Nothing is more fun that 50 cents worth of baking soda, vinegar, and some food coloring!

It's a T- Rex!

Delicious!

Charlie's birthday started off with a bagel from Panera and a trip to the Pediatrician.  Jason always wants to be there for the well child visits and he took the day off so I went ahead and had the well child on his birthday.  I was 99% certain there would be no shots, so I didn't feel too mean.  He was such a good boy at the Dr's office!  He is pretty much on track with everything except the speech, but we are already working on that, and he seems to be catching up FAST!  ( : 
His 3 year old stats:  Height: 38 1/2in  Weight: 34lbs
      2 year old stats:  Height 36.3in  Weight: 28lbs 2oz
I was stunned to see how much weight he had gained!  He still seems so skinny!  He is a good eater, better than William has ever been.
After the Dr's office we went and picked up balloons and meat for BBQ later.  Then it was finally home for presents!   Charlie got lots of fun Thomas stuff, but sadly, the biggest thing we got him was a dud.  We got a King of the Railway Castle set, and recently Fisher Price bought Thomas and it has gone down hill BIG TIME!  The quality was terrible. It was just cheap pressed board and ended up chipping immediately. (It was $100!!!)  We are going to return it and get him something else.  He was so disappointed, but even he was upset when it broke.  He totally seemed to understand that the quality was less than great.  He ended up with lots of other fun goodies though, and will now get a couple more things in the mail.  Charlie had requested a T-Rex cake so I was able to come up with something cute.  He loved it.  All in all it was a quiet, lovely day.  I can't believe how quickly 3 years has gone, and at the same time, it seems like he has always been here.  It's such fun to see him growing up! 

Egg Hunt...

Happy Easter 2014...

Charlie checks out his loot...

Seriously.  This kid loves potty humor, so I knew the "pooping chicken" would be right up his alley, and I was right!

I found an Easter based version of the Rubix Cube, and now we are all remembering why we hated the darn thing...

This is the best I could get of the two boys together.  I had about 30 other shots that were worse than this.  It's just. so. hard!

Eat the ears first.  Always.

Charlie was concentrating hard to deal with so much chocolate at once!

After Church, brunch, and baskets, we headed out to the zoo.  Will loved the goats...

We stopped at the creamery for our first ice cream cone of the season.  It was 72 degrees and LOVELY!

Charlie's last day as a 2 year old...

Will was determined to get up on this bison.  Ride em' Cowboy!

We ended up having a nice, calm Easter.  I didn't do the big meal, just brunch, and it took so much of the pressure off.  I think we may make that a new tradition!  The boys were pretty good at church, I didn't have to resort to the nursery, so that was good.  They both loved the baskets and ate more sugar in one day than they probably have in a month!  

Dyeing Party...

Charlie exploring the cup...

William was a pro by this year.  He wrote his messages and knew to leave it in the dye as long as possible...

Charlie on the other hand, would only let the egg go in the dye for one second and then picked it back up.  His hands were much more colorful than his eggs...



Hard at work...

I love that the boys are getting old enough to really do these activities with me.  I love teaching them all the fun traditions, and seeing how they react to it each year.  Happy Easter!

Big Boy Bed...

The boys "helping" Daddy put together the bed...

Charlie climbs in for a test bounce...

The morning after...

Charlie was looking long in the crib.  It was getting hard to read stories in the rocker with those long legs of his.  It was time to change to the big boy bed.  I had found a bed at the Salvation Army for him months ago, but as it got closer to the time to make the change we realized that it had no bed rail as opposed to William's bed which has double rails.  We convinced William to let Charlie use his bed and then we got a new mattress and box spring.  Charlie has a new train bedding set coming from England this summer with Grandma, so I found some Thomas bedding at Goodwill and he already had some pillows that were Thomas, so he was happy.  He didn't sleep in it the first night, but by the second night he was willing to try it.  He looked so little in this huge bed!  He snuggled right down and went to sleep, and didn't try to come out or even call for us.  The next morning he was all smiles and since then hasn't mentioned the crib.  We took it down and I am trying to find a new home for it.  I was sad to see it be taken down for the last time.  I remember so well fixing up the crib with each baby, and knowing that I will not do that again is just so sad.  I asked Charlie last night if he would be my baby forever and he said yes, so I guess it will be ok.  As long as he can still fit on my lap when he's 40!

A Slight Lisp...

He looks so different now with all these holes!  That top tooth took a couple weeks of wiggling and twisting to finally come out, and now the big one is right behind it!  William has connected the fact that teeth coming out make money and money buys Legos, so he is eager every time he finds one loose to get it out!  So funny! 

A Peek at Charlie...

It's finally in the 40's and 50's and it's WONDERFUL!  I set up the bouncy castle for the kids on the driveway and Charlie had a ball!  He is getting so big, and I can't believe how much older he is looking.  My baby is slipping away...but I love the little boy who he is becoming!

Spring Fever...

I love his mid-season ensemble: Down parka but no shoes!

Charlie is loving the weather and the opportunities for outdoor art!

Charlie is still using the Dino Stompers that Uncle Patrick and Aunt Bridget gave Will for Christmas...

William cruising the neighborhood with his ladies...