A Backyard Photo Shoot

Our backyard is a favorite play area.  Ani Rose insists on at least one visit to the yard no matter what the weather.  Norrin is very focused on garden maintenance and bug collection.  Both the kids have managed to scab up the exact same knee because sometimes its tough be an adventurer in the concrete jungle. 

Ani Rose likes to sample every bicycle, chair and riding toy in the yard.

She likes to check out this table and chairs at least once.

She can climb anything, including the box that holds our garden hose.

 Brother and sister.

Norrin loves nature.

 You can usually find him digging up some section of our yard for bugs.  He has jars he puts them in and he can spend hours on this activity.

Pool Time

We got a little pool.  We get a little pool every year since they're cheap, disposable little things and the kids love them.  This one is the perfect height and we can just barely squish our little family into it.  Ani Rose loves the pool.  She likes to be tossed in the air.  She likes the weightless feeling that comes with running around in the chest high water.  Even when her head goes under or she gets a little water up her nose, she coughs it out and just keeps going.  Norrin likes to show me how he can skim the water for bugs, hold his breath under water and float on his back (which really is just him lying on his back with his arms touching the bottom of the pool for support).  Nothing like a dip in the pool on a hot day :).

Happy Da's Day

Todd's not going to appreciate this picture, but its a testament to how much fun he is with the kiddos.  They love him so much.  Ani Rose cries if he doesn't say hi to her first when he comes home from work.  Norrin asks me about a hundred times a day when will Da be home.  If it were up to the kids, Da's only job would be to play with them...all day, every day.  While work can keep Todd away from us far longer than we care for, he makes up for his absence.  He plays with them, feeds them, changes diapers, reads to them, snuggles them, goes for walks, swims with them, teaches them, talks to them...the list goes on and on.  Happy Father's Day to the best Da a kid could ask for.

First Beach Trip of 2012

It was a truly perfect day for a beach trip.  We were all sitting around watching cartoons when Todd asked which beach we should go to :).  Norrin has horrible listening skills, but when he heard the word beach come out of Da's mouth, his face lit up like a Christmas tree. In about an hour, we had gathered all necessary equipment and were on our way.  We got to Stone Harbor around noon.  We were going to try a different beach, but the location is so perfect with parking, short walk to the ocean and a playground.  The weather was hot, but there was a nice breeze that cooled us off and didn't bury our stuff in sand.  The ocean temperature was also perfect.  Cool, refreshing and not too rough.

First things first, the kids played in the sand.  I was in charge of fetching water and we only have one big bucket.  We have to get another.

 Ani Rose took to the sand like she's played in it her whole life.

 Next up, a dip in the ocean. 

 Norrin wanted to hold my hand at first and Ani needed a little conversation before she felt safe enough to dip her toes.

 Then, she just loved it.

 And Norrin didn't need to hold my hand anymore.

 Ani let the water roll in up to her belly button and laughed and laughed at each wave.  Then she took a break.

 In her Da's chair.

 Da and Norrin kept playing.

 So, it wasn't a long break before she wanted to go back in.  That hand signal is like a wave to her.  She greets us with it when we pick her up from the babysitter and its her way of trying to tell her Da and her brother that she wants to be with them.  I laugh because she grunts and squeaks whenever she does it.  She is not subtle.

When Norrin was Ani's age, the beach was approached tentatively and he needed a couple hours to adjust.  Ani threw herself right into it.  She walked around like she owned the joint.  She used every sand toy, made multiple trips to visit the ocean, snacked on all the food we brought and sat comfortably in everyone's chair.  Todd and I just had to keep up with her.  It was wonderful to watch my kids play together and enjoy the beach as much as we do.

My Little Graduate

Wednesday was Norrin's graduation from preschool to pre-K.

This was my sad attempt to keep his very active sister tethered in one place during his performance.

 She was good until the very end.  Then I had to set her free.

 The wall with the speakers was really fascinating to her for some reason.

 Rita was able to be there for Norrin's special day.

 They sang the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse song, the Wheels on the Bus, Old Macdonald and Pre-K, Pre-K, Here We Come.  They had the cutest hats and they had signs for Mickey Mouse and animals on the other side for Old Macdonald.

 And they had choreography for Pre-K, Pre-K, Here We Come :).

 Norrin had a fierce march, like going into Pre-K was going to be like going into battle :).

 He was super excited to get his diploma...so much so that there was no way we weren't going to get a blurry photo.

 Here's our little graduate.

 And here he is with his beloved Miss Shields. 

I'm so proud of him.  He got his report card yesterday and Miss Shields had tweaked it to include E for Excellent (instead of just I for Improvement Needed and S for Satisfactory) and Norrin got a whole bunch of E's.  He's one smart cookie.  After his graduation, we went to Friendly's and the rest of the night went badly.  He showed every bit of how difficult four can be and we left without ice cream.  As he melted down in the car, I said calmly, "we can just try again tomorrow".  And the next day was just about perfect :). 

The Fantastic Final Four

Yes, there were only four more photos I needed to post for this photo challenge and I'm only late by a handful of days, so it really wasn't too bad.

May 28, 2012 The Weather Today

It was Memorial Day and it was hot, hot, hot.  The kids and I went to Yardley to watch the parade.  Da and his bank hand out water for free.  The kids helped.  Norrin really got into handing out pinwheels and bottles of water.  Ani Rose decided she would just work on eating the ice out of the baby pool that the water was sitting in.

May 29, 2012 A Number

The most important number of the month is 40.  Yes, Todd's birthday was 6 days ago, but with it being a work day and Norrin recovering from surgery, it just didn't feel like I celebrated it the way I usually do (I think I'm the only one that goes this crazy for birthdays).  I would have made every one of his favorite meals, sent him to a comic book store or someplace else for some time to himself or wandered Grounds for Sculpture or the Rodin Museum together as a family.  Luckily, Rita made us a lovely dinner and got his favorite cake- strawberry shortcake.  Thank goodness for Todd's mom to pick up the slack for me on that one :).

May 30, 2012 Your Personality

Oh, where to begin?  Todd has taken many pictures that have given us glances at the goofball that I am.  Probably best to just leave it at the few that are here.  Now you all know just what he has to contend with.  May God have mercy on his soul.

May 31, 2012 Something Beautiful

You knew it was coming...more pictures of my beautiful kids.  I love working in the garden with Norrin.  He tells me he likes bugs because its science.  He can dig forever looking for rolly pollies, earthworms and beetles.  And Ani Rose with strawberry all over her face is just too darn cute for words.