Almost Monday...

The weekends always go so fast - here comes Monday again. I had a particularly fun and long overdue week last week which makes going back to work tomorrow that much more daunting. Lots to catch up on. My favorite Aunt Kathy was here last week and we had such a great time visiting. We had some nice quality time to catch up and just hang out. It was awesome for me, and for the kids. We miss you already Kathy!

It suddenly dawned on me today after having so much good quality time with the kids last week that they are no longer babies. We spent much of the weekend re-organizing to keep dangerous things out of the hands of our toddlers. They are everywhere, as are all 17 month olds so it was time to put away a LOT of things! They have changed so much lately and are exploring and learning more and more everyday.

JD is now trying to run - which is entertainment in itself. Cole is still not walking but he's crawling at record speeds and cruising as much as he can before he gets knocked over by his brother. We finally got rid of all bottles last week which was a huge relief for me. I've been hanging on to that last thread for many weeks now and we finally cut them out completely. Now I just need to wean JD from the sippy with milk at bedtime and we're good. It's impossible for me to believe that I've given my last bottle. ever. It is very apparent that the last few weeks of bottles were more for me than they were for the kids...

Last week Grampy bought the kids their first suckers. Not exactly the sucker I had in mind but it was fun to watch. They LOVED their sugar daddies - and we were able to see the sugar take full effect about 10 minutes in!

We had a small incident with a plant today - first so far. I was only about 2 feet away, making dinner and followed by about 30 seconds of silence (which you know is always a sign of trouble), I heard JD's devious laugh and turned the corner to see Cole shoving a handful of dirt in his mouth; followed by throwing up that same dirt. JD sat covered in it laughing his silly laugh. Wait until they figure out not too long from now that water mixed with dirt = mud (the photo doesn't look too bad - most of the dirt is hidden behind JD).

I'm just in awe at how grown up they are getting. Eating with forks, drinking out of sippy's, taking off thier shoes and socks, eating real food, understanding basic commands, going up and down the stairs alone, understanding the context of humor, giving hugs and kisses, finding their belly buttons - it's just amazing. I love seeing them every morning, wondering what the latest trick of the day will be.

We made a family trip to Target yesterday which required a speedy exit after about 30 minutes due to a melt down. Not unusual after being stuck in the stroller with so much to get your hands on. Our target trips will definitely involve riding in the shopping cart from here on out, not the "boring stroller". C. got his first taste of a public meltdown, which in itself was entertaining! Gone are the days of quick errands here and there while they sit passively enjoying the ride...A trip to chick-fil-a fixed them right up.

In other news, my friend R that I wrote about a few weeks ago (bedrest with trips) is doing really well. Sadly though, she did lose one of the babies. The other two babies are still hanging in there and she was even able to leave the hospital and go home to bedrest. We continue to keep her in our prayers as she mourns the loss of her little baby boy and stays strong for the other two so they can stay inside for a while longer.

Only a few more months until my new neice or nephew arrives. We're anxiously awaiting this little one - it will be so much fun to have a baby around again. I can't wait!!!

Nothing else to report. Here are a few recent pictures of the kids from this week. Off to watch the Terps game.

JD on the move...

Cole doing what he does best - sitting runner style