April News!

HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY CALLIE!!

April was a special month because our beautiful daughter turned 4! I can't believe how fast the time goes. Callie has really grown up this year. She is extremely self sufficient - she dresses herself, cleans up her toys, is a healthy eater and a genuinely nice person. One of her best traits is her loving attitude. She takes care of her brother all the time - helps him get dressed, pushes in his chair, gets him water, takes him to the potty and plays with him. They have become best friends and get along well - of course they fight - but, I'm focusing on their positive traits right now :)

Happy 4th Birthday our little angel.

April was a busy month. Gus took a week off work to spend time with the family and finish up basement projects. He also did lots of yard work and even built me an awesome garden! We finished our basement just in time for Callie's birthday party on April 17th (her birthday was the 23rd.) Her birthday party was a success! She had 4 friends at the party (Hannah, Sarah, Kayla and Chloe.) Of course, her brother Gustav was there and so was David (Hannah's brother.) The theme was butterflies - she wanted Barbie Mariposa, but I guess it's too new because they didn't have the party stuff out yet! The butterfly theme was great though! The girls all decorated their own butterfly wings and flew around in the yard! They also played in the basement and outside - it was a beautiful day! Enjoy the pictures!

Decorating butterfly wings.

Guest of honor!

Another special guest!

The cake. I did manage to score a Mariposa cake image.

Singing 'Happy Birthday!' She absolutely loves when we sing it to her, but she gets all shy :)

Eating cake and butterfly lollipops.

Butterflys! All sugared up and ready to fly!

WEEEEEEE!!!

Gustav sound asleep in his new bed! Needless to say, we put a railing on the side :)

Gustav and Tiger by the creek. I love this picture!

Gustav caught one!

Daddy, Gustav and Mariposa fishing in the creek.

Um, Gus?

Grandpa visited us!!
Gustav loves to sit with Grandpa!

Um, nerd alert!

Grandpa and the kiddos!

Helping daddy put oil in the tractor.

Gustav graduated to a big boy bed! Now that he doesn't wear diapers, it was time to let him get in and out of bed! What a big boy!

Playing in the yard!

Chillin' before bed. Brutus (one of our 3 cats) sitting with Gustav - nearing his final days with us.

Brutus and Mommy. Brutus was mommy's favorite cat and I was his favorite human. I miss him terribly, but I'm glad he's not suffering anymore.

R.I.P. Brutus
Born ~May 2000
Died of cancer on April 30, 2008

March News!

I was looking over the pictures from March and realized that our biggest March news is Gustav potty training himself! Right on his 2 1/2 year birthday almost to the day! Yeah Gustav!! I didn't do anything! In fact I wasn't even going to bother trying to teach him until he turned three because I've heard boys take longer than girls to potty train, but Gustav decied it was time! And he hasn't looked back yet! He stays dry at night - although he wakes us up during the night to take him to the potty. As long as I don't give him too much to drink after 6:30 pm, he sometimes makes it all night. We are so proud of him! He is growing WAY TOO FAST!!

Gustav is sporting his training undies! He has now graduated to 'big boy undies' and his favorite are the Thomas the Train ones!

Always the supportive sister!

Caught red handed! That's the video monitor catching Callie climbing into Gustav's crib. He is always finding something wrong at bedtime that needs Callie's help. Callie is always to the rescue! It's actually really cute, but the kids don't think we think so (does that make sense?) More than once and it's punishment time :)
She's actually talking to us there. We were in the kitchen asking her what she was doing. I don't recall the exact conversation, but it was something like "Gustav needed help with his blanket!"
Climbing the walls as usual!

Sharing the delicious pears that Aunt Paula sent us!
Posing for the camera. That's Gustav's current camera smile!
Gustav loves... food. And other things!
Callie loves salad and usually finishes the bowl at the end of dinner. Reminds me of someone else I know (my Dad.)
We flew kites in the yard (we've had a windy spring!)