January 22nd, 2012

Kenny made a fort for the kids to play in. It spanned the length of our front room. Multiple blankets were used, as well as the piano bench and toy box.

When I bought my camera, one of the things they said was that the ISO went up to 6400. I was like-that's great, but I can't think of any situation where I would need or want my ISO that high. I got in the fort with the kids, turned my ISO up as high as it would go, and took some pictures of my kids playing in their fort. Shots I couldn't have gotten otherwise. (Honestly, they're not great shots anyway, so it doesn't matter to me that they're totally grainy.) 

January 21st, 2012

Aiden had to have a hair cut. His hair gets so long that it's a nightmare to comb out every day, and it has to be done every day. We tried, a while ago, to take him to the regular place to get it done, but he flipped out when she came at him with the clippers. I don't know why, because he's had his hair cut with clippers lots of times before, but this time, he would not stand for it.

So, I forced him to sit down, and I came at him with the clippers.

He was not super happy, but we got it done.

Before



After

January 20th, 2012

Big day.

The young man (above) turned 30. THIRTY!! How did this happen?





He got to pick what we had for dinner, and what cake he wanted. He picked ceviche for dinner. It's a dish he had a lot in Mexico, and is made with raw fish (we use cooked shrimp) soaked in lime juice, onions, cilantro, tomatoes, avocado, and hot peppers. You take that mixture (which would be delicious if it weren't for the shrimp) and put it on a tostada and eat it. Not my favorite. But again, it was his birthday.

And the birthday cake was German Chocolate. His favorite. And it was delicious.

January 19th, 2012

She loves the taste of her medicine.

Anything, actually, that comes from a syringe. Whether it's tylenol,

antibiotics, or milk, she loves it.

January 18th, 2012

First day of basketball.

They set up four different workshops, and at each one they learned and

practiced a different technique. At the first station, they practiced passing the ball back and forth.

I wish this picture was in focus. 

They learned to get their arms up, and block or guard their opponent.

And to be open for when their team had the ball.

Watching Aiden dribble is hilarious. It's something we need to practice, for sure. This guy had them

dribble the ball ten times. Then they had to look him in the eye and dribble the ball five times. And then he had them close their eyes and dribble three times. He struggled a little, but he is only five and has no experience with basketball. For the most part, he did great.

They played a mini scrimmage game at the end of the hour, and it was pretty hilarious to watch.

One kid ran around with the ball the whole time, while all the other kids ran around him. Every once in a while the kid with the ball would throw the ball and try to make a basket, and someone else would run around with the ball for a while. And every one else ran around with their arms up, looking busy :)

January 17th, 2012

Why is it that we spend good money on cute girlie pajamas for her,

when she looks just as cute in one of Aiden's t-shirts?

January 16th, 2012

 

  A few weeks ago, Capri yanked the glasses off of Kenny's face in a typical fit of rage, and in the process  he lost a screw on one side, so one of the lenses wouldn't stay in. He was frustrated, of course, but after purchasing a repair kit with the necessary teeny tiny screw driver, the glasses were all better.

  Around the same time I had been talking to Aiden about what he wanted to get daddy for his birthday that is coming up soon. He mentioned pokemon cards, or maybe we could go get him something from the dollar store... and we left it at that. A little while after the glasses incident, he came up to me and whispered "I know what I want to get daddy for his birthday". "What?" I said. "New glasses. Capri broke his glasses, so I want to get him new ones" he told me. I kind of laughed, and told him, oh that's sweet, etc.

  The thing is, since I went from part time to PRN at work (a difference of working two shifts per week to working once per week or even less) we make enough to survive, and not much else. Right after Christmas it's really hard to find money in the budget for a decent birthday present. BUT we have all this money in a health savings account that just keeps building, that we can only use for very specific reasons. And Kenny could really use some prescription sunglasses...so we took daddy shopping for new glasses today. I wish I had been fast enough to catch the smile on Aiden's face when I told him that we bought daddy the glasses he liked. And that it's a secret, so DON'T TELL DADDY! :)

PS-those are not the sunglasses we ordered. I just liked the picture.

January 15th, 2012

Aiden got this super cute little camera for Christmas (actually, he got a lame little Cars digital camera that we added batteries to, it turned on and turned back off. Turned it on, it turned right back off. So I took it back to Santa's workshop and exchanged it for a camera that worked.) and it is awesome!

Aiden can use it, there are only a few buttons, and it takes pictures AND videos.

 I worked Saturday night, and was on call Sunday night, so I asked Aiden to take my pictures for me.

Obviously he didn't take the one of him, but he took the rest. And obviously the picture quality isn't the best, but it's a camera especially made for kids. What do you expect? 

It actually takes better video than it does pictures. But I happen to love the pictures he takes. 

I actually prefer my face blurry and grainy. I think it really helps my complexion.

January 14th, 2012

I don't ever get excited about going to work, and leaving my children while I put on my nurse
shoes, and take care of (mostly) crazy people.

But it does help that each and every time, the three best people in the world come out to wave goodbye, and I know that they are in the best of hands and that they will be there in the morning when I get home.

January 13th, 2012

Have I mentioned before that I love when they play together? I think I have...anyway.

This is a game called "Aiden spits the pacifier at Capri, Capri laughs hysterically, repeat."

She loves Aiden, and most of the time in her eyes, he can do no wrong. Also, he's hilarious.

Here it comes!!

Oh, Aiden, you're so funny!

Do it again, do it again!

And he did, for another twenty five minutes.

January 12th, 2012

One of my favorite parts of the day is going to get Aiden from the school bus.

 As you can tell, he's always so excited to see us :)

January 11th, 2012

I painted our nails to match. We are so cute.

January 10th, 2012

I love that these kids love each other so much. Capri completely idolizes Aiden, and lives to hang out with him. One of Aiden's favorite shows on Netflix right now is Shaun the Sheep. He watches it as often as I will let him, which is once a day (if that). Capri doesn't care much about watching shows, but she has gotten to the point where she will sit down and watch Shaun the Sheep with Aiden, and she even cracks up at the funny parts.

My heart just melts when I see them loving each other like this.

January 9th, 2012

This is their special daily routine. As soon as Kenny gets home from work he takes the dog out to

"do his business" and get a little exercise. Capri gets excited and heads straight for her jacket

when daddy gets home. If he ever leaves without her (because it's cold outside and she's not dressed properly) it's not pretty. She feels entitled to that time outdoors with her daddy.

If you're wondering why Aiden doesn't get to go, it's because he usually doesn't want to. He's usually doing something else more important, like playing outside with his friends, or watching a show. So don't feel too bad for the kid. It's his own fault.

January 8th, 2012

I can't put into words how much I love this photo of Aiden.

I love that it looks like his dad is putting a tie on him, and he looks totally freaked out.

Aiden thinks it's funny to make a "crazy face" for me to take a picture of, and then he likes to see what it looks like. That's what we did today. We helped Aiden make himself laugh.

That's really the best kind of fun.

I love his face. In all it's forms.

And since Capri was asleep when we were playing, I got a picture of her in the bath,

with her hair in a soapy mohawk. She just thought I was ridiculous.

January 7th, 2012

These pictures aren't the greatest...

But at least I have one for today! I worked tonight, so I slept in while Kenny

took care of the kids, and then while I was at work Kenny and the kids went to pick up my cousin

from the airport.

 Aiden was so excited to make him this banner, and to see him in general.

I don't know what it is about Ellen and her family, but Aiden just loves them all.

Thank you to Kenny, who took pictures for me. There's no rule against that!

January 6th, 2012

We hung out at the park with some friends in the warm spring time weather.

Capri enjoyed sling down the baby slide, and Aiden was so busy playing he was hardly

ever heard from.

Capri figured out quickly how to propel herself down the slide.

It was the first time she enjoyed the slide.

After a while, I stopped catching her at the bottom. And she landed on her butt every time.

But, she loved it still :)

After the park we headed to pick up Aiden's Jr. Jazz jersey for basketball.

He starts next month. Just you watch, he might be famous one day.

January 5th, 2012

She would not give up trying to ride this tricycle (which also is not hers)

even though she could not reach the pedals, and she ended up on the ground most of the time.

the most stalwart diaper ever

January 4th, 2012

She tried and tried to get this diaper off.

But it held on like a champ.

Never before have I been able to say that I was so proud of a diaper.

Now I can.

hatching alligator eggs

January 3rd 2012

Aiden got this little jellyfish lamp from his cute aunt Rina.

He got an alligator egg from Santa, so we stuck his alligator egg in his tank to grow and hatch.

He was pretty excited about watching it hatch and checked on it about twelve times.

He went up to check on it a little before bedtime, and suddenly I heard a shout "It's HATCHING!!"

I just love how excited he gets about the strangest things.

we should have gotten her a car for Christmas

January 2nd 2012



She loves our neighbors toys. Most especially the ones she can get into, sit on, and ride around on.

 

She gets in.

And then she gets out. 

And then back in again. She loves to play outside,

and would probably stay out all day if I could stay outside all day with her.

We've been outside a lot this week, because the weather has been amazing for January.

Highs in the 60's. It's been perfect, and making me wish for spring to come and stay forever.

I know one baby who would be most pleased.