Nana&papa

Some all-star grandparents met us in horshoebay for some fun (wild and crazy restaurant fun)

We had a lovely time catching up. The kids adore them. It's so darling to see them start forming special relationships!

Before we left Audrey even said...'we go see nama and papa (yes she says Nama haha) and they say happy birthday Audrey...then happy birthday present.'

Oh the giggles we had, they do spoil the kiddos though!

After our visit we headed down to the beach. We played in the sand, convinced both kids it wasn't swimming weather (it's February). Audrey was pushing it---going out pretty deep in her rain boots.

We found some mussels. Picked up some shells for our 'treasure' to take home. Daddy found them a starfish---poor starfish---the poking, prodding and abuse it took. RIP starfish ;)

We are beach folk, it was a teaser for us. A teaser for what summer will look like.

Have to admit that I'm still sad sometimes that there is no newborn in our life (there was a newborn in the restaurant and apparently Brent got scared at how my eyes looked like baby fever when we saw it) ....but this summer....no babies. It's huge. It's going to be the easiest summer in 3 years! Boo-yah!

Anyways we are pretty pumped for this summer. BBQs, bonfires, hottubs, beach visits, zoo going, and not to mention the wild camping trips with both kids we has planned!

Good times!!!

Mommy time

Lately I've been giving myself 1-2 hours with friends to go for a walk on Mondays or Tuesday evenings. It's been glorious.

Adult conversation
Fresh air
Exercise
Me time

Glory!

Burned 990 calories with no effort tonight---just gabbing with my girlfriends.

Empty canvas?

We just had our basement poured.
My thoughts immediately...
Painting party in the basement!
Stripped to the undies
Got wild, messy and out of control.
Such fun! Now if we ever tear the floor up we have a wild memory of 2013-renos&babies! It was an absolute hoot!

Naptime resistance

My perfect sleeper resisted his afternoon nap today. Well that turned into him falling asleep to late. He didn't fall asleep until 4:40pm and well my rule is no sleeping past 5pm otherwise 7pm bedtime is not as easy.

Anyways, so hard to wake a sleeping baby. Had to post this picture. I so often look at him and think he's not a baby anymore---when seeing him sleep though it makes me think he's my little itty bitty baby all over again.

Okay he was never that little---a whopping 9lbs and 9oz over a week early...he's always been a big boy. Oh man. My heart melts. He will always be my baby.

Jack and the bean stock flashback

Ok-so this dollhouse. It's lovely.
What was I thinking?
It doesn't stand a chance against the destructors...the giants...

I watch them play, it's not gentle...
When I envisioned it I envisioned them being careful with it...maybe not climbing it....

Did someone show my kids the movie King Kong----I swear Beckham's goal is to take the 'Barbie' and climb to the top and hoot and holler like a wild ape (no joke).

Brent and I decided not to stress. To teach them to be gentle through this 'experience'. We recognize that it might just get destroyed like the city in Godzilla.

Cheers-to accepting that this dollhouse might not become a family heirloom passed down generation after generation. Also accepting that we may have to replace it after the mayhem and chaos destroys it.

Sweet baby tears

Beckham is my sweet baby.
He just melts me.
He is Audrey's partner in crime but somehow he manages to look at me with those innocent big brown eyes and I go weak.

We believe in discipline and structure. We have never let our children rule the house.

Lately though Beckham has mastered the art of crying with intention to 'win'.

He sees a cookie
He wants a cookie
He cries in a sad way
Somehow a sad cry can work this mama more then a tantrum cry.
Oh dear

Brent's doing some parenting on me. Toughening me up. Making sure I don't let this handsome young man learn how to work anyone with an ounce of heart...

Look at the sad eyes, look at the little hands. The hands covering his mouth is just about the most endearing things (sure he might be WAILING but it's so sweet)

I'm working on not being soft.

I've heard a lot of, 'Sheena you wouldn't have let Audrey get away with that when she was that age...'

Somehow he's still a baby to me...

17 months

Beckham is 17 months
He 'can't' go down the stairs
He actually can.
He just rathers being carried.
Lets be honest...
I'd rather be carried down the stairs ;)
So today after he went upstairs 18 times
Started crying 18 times so I would bring him down (while I'm cooking)
Time to enable him to be a little more independent haha

Ok, so after teaching him.
The crying continues.
He really just wanted me to carry him.
I took a video as he sobs angrily going down the stairs. Oh man. This little boy is my baby. (Yes, a sobbing video---eek I am that mom. Memories, right?)

Fingers crossed that by the time he's two years old he will happily go down stairs by himself haha. It won't let me upload the video so a lame picture will have to do. I'm far to lazy to use a real computer to blog ;)

PS-
Yes in the picture Audrey is showing me proudly that SHE can go down the stairs hahaha