Baby It's Cold Outside!

My current favorite photo.

Helping Pax put his hat on.  Pax wasn't all that thrilled.

Cookie Decorating

We had a great time decorating some cookies recently.  Everett helped me make the cookie dough.  They both helped me press out the shapes, and then after waiting patiently for the cookies to cool, we decorated them together.  Someone was a little heavy handed with the sprinkles, but we loved how they turned out.  :)

Paxton Gets a Bike

We took advantage of some Christmas sales to get Paxton his balance bike.  The poor guy just watches everyone else ride.  He's just a hair too short for it, but with the next growth spurt he'll be ready!

Going to have to get Pax a matching bell.

He loves it!

Holding a Tarantula!

Whaaaat?  That's right!  Now that Everett is three, he is old enough to hold Rosie the Tarantula at the Butterfly Pavilion (one of our favorite places).  He was so brave!  The pictures show a tentative face because he was focusing acutely on his task. 

Ev said she tickled.  I can only assume he's right because I'm not holding her.

We love seeing the seastars...

and the fish

We love touching the seastars... 

and the horseshoe crab.

There are lots of boards with butterflies emerging from their crysalis.

Everett, the Three Year Old!

Well, Everett has asked "Why...?" recently, so pondering that reminded me that I am overdue on his three year old post.  How very three of him to start asking why?  I am both excited and daunted by this new development!

Everett turned three at the beginning of this month, but he just recently had his well-check.  I may have kept forgetting to make the appointment.  Oops!  Regardless, he's doing great.  He's a whopping 3'3" and 34 lbs.  How did he get so big so fast?!  Well, to start he grew 1.25 inches in the last TWO MONTHS!!!  Crazy!  Three years zoomed right by just like they said it would.

Some things that excite him these days:
    1.  Visits to family.  His face absolutely lights up when mention of seeing Grandma and Grandpa or Lauren and Sarmad comes up.  I bought some new serving bowls recently.  He found them and excitedly asked if they were for when Lauren and Sarmad come to dinner and wanted to know if they were coming now?!?!
     2.  Baha'i children's classes!  One of the things he really loves is getting stickers on his courtesy chart from children's classes.  There are stars which he gets to place stickers on for saying nice words, please, thank-you, listening attentively (that star is kind of bare - hah!), etc.  Sometimes he makes a circle around me, says "snooze me!" and then excitedly proclaims that he gets to put a sticker on his excuse me star now!  Hah!  I'm very proud of him for being excited about courtesy.
     3.  Playing with the neighbors outside.  It's SO cute - imagine four three year olds conversing and riding their bikes in the cul-de-sac.  There are usually some tears, but there is always tons of laughter.      
     4.  Being my special helper at the grocery store when we get to go just the two of us.
     5.  Baking with me
     6.  Role-play and art projects
     7.  Daddy carrying him "like a monkey" up to bed
     8.  Picking out and reading (over and over and over) library books.  He has memorized many of his books and will "read" them when he's not feeling shy.

The other development that's been really cool to me is some recognition of his feelings.  Recently he asked me if I was happy or sad, and then told me he was happy and why (all the bubbles in the bath).  When he's mad, he often says "I'M FRUSTRATED!!!"  He points out when other people are sad or mad.  It's been an important opening to discuss feelings a bit more.  Emotions can be so hard to deal with when you're so small.

The MOST exciting thing that has happened since he has turned three though is getting a baby cousin!  Baby Corinne was born last week, and Everett is so excited.  He asks to see her frequently, and she is motivation for him to take actions to stay healthy in order to get to see her.  :)

We love our little three year old so much, and are having such a fun time talking to him and hearing the funny things he comes up with.  Can't wait to see what the year brings for him.

For fun, here's a throwback to when he was maybe 18 months and we were trying to get him to say "Potato" because we just loved the way he said it.

Spontaneous Mountain Day!

On the way.  The Elmo bucket had to come too with four racquetballs.  Amazingly, all four came home too.

We decided to take a spontaneous mountain day trip after Eric fortuitously received his ski pass in the mail.  We decided to check out Keystone Resort since it's close, and my sister knew it to be kid friendly.  It was, amazingly, only an hour from home.  Love that.  Eric got some time snowboarding, but the snow wasn't very forgiving at a mere (and packed) 18 inches, and he was left with a bit of a wrist injury.  We'll wait for some fresh powder for our next trip.  While he played on the mountain, see what me and the boys were up to below...

We took in some mountain air.

We played on the playground.

We played big Connect Four.  Pax couldn't quite reach.

We enjoyed some Starbucks treats.  Bad photo, sorry.

Everett hugged Rudolph and was very proud.

We told Santa we want a ski resort condo for Christmas.

Pax played chess.

Everett spent some time as a fox.

"There was something in my mouth."  That something would be his first candy cane, devoured in about 5 minutes.

We had a fantastic day and made it home in time for dinner.  It's so awesome to live here!  I discovered that Breckenridge has a children's museum, so I'm super excited to bring them there next time!

The Besties' Birthday Bash

For Everett's birthday this year, he got a very extra special, amazingly awesome treat.  His best friend from Texas, Julian, came for a visit.  It was also Julian's birthday, so it was a treat for both.  They re-bonded instantly and spent the first night screaming with jubilation.  The following day and a half were just as fun, but included a bit less screaming.  We visited the Denver Children's Museum, the Denver Zoo, and a playground.  We made a colorful cake.  There were presents.  There were silly songs.  Eric enjoyed reading them bedtime stories together.  We all had a great time.  In English and Spanish.  :)

There were so many great pictures...hundreds and hundreds...here are just a few.  Aida, I will send you the entire stash shortly, I promise.  :)

Playing with bubbles at the children's museum.

Watching a seal together.

Everett enjoyed pushing Julian around.

Extreme fun at the playground thanks to Aida.

Sweet hugs.

They sat together, and Everett "read" his memorized books to Julian.  It was a very sweet moment, that of course, passed as soon as an adult presented themselves.   

The boys helped me make a colorful cake.  I love this picture because it shows how messy it was to pour all the colors in.  Hah!

How to Eat a Meal

How to Eat According to Paxton:
Step 1: Gobble your food.
Step 2: Play with what's left.  Make sure some lands on the floor.
Step 3: Squeal and indicate you are finished.
Step 4: Look cute and grunt until Dad picks you up, and then eat his meal too.

How to Eat According to Everett:
Step 1: Refuse dinner at all costs.  Hold out for something else.  Don't even go to the table; it shows weakness.
Step 2: Nothing else is being given.  Make sure there's a reward coming.
Step 3: Take tiny bites if and only if cake or something equally appealing is promised.

Raking Leaves

Well it looks like I posted out of order, but it's true.  Snow a few days ago, raking leaves today.  Tomorrow it's going to be nearly 70 degrees.  Crazy!  I thought I'd get a little yard work done this afternoon after Eric went to work.  Frustrated with trying to put leaves in the bag by myself, I quickly surrendered to some fall fun.  With my camera of course!