The outside world.

Just some iphone pics of our outdoor adventures from the last few days. It has been so nice to get out and let the kids run/ride/kick/play. Looks like we'll be waiting awhile again before we see those 50s and 60s again. This time of year can be such a tease!

Happy kiddies ready to play...

Ky riding her bike. She is getting SO good. Daddy will be removing those training wheels very soon.

Playing on the deck. They were watering my tomato plant (from last summer) for me... Ky thought it looked pretty bad and realized that it just needed a little water! HA

At the pond, ready to feed some ducks... only problem: no ducks. So we fed the pond.

And, we threw rocks.

Gavie really enjoyed this activity!

(This was taken after he almost fell into the pond. And with the track record of this kid, I wouldn't have been surprised in the least if he would have).

We went to the park last week for the 1st time this year. Gav loved the slide. Ky was MIA most of the time because we met one of her classmates there and they were huddled up, digging through her purse that she insisted on taking along with her.

Gavin loves being outside with all of the neighbor kids. He is so excited to be able to run and play with all of them this year. No more sidelines for this kid! (I'm a little nervous about that!)

Gav and I had a little library date one morning while Ky was at preschool. I shot this with my phone and so wished that I had my real camera with me when he backed up against this pillar to pose for me.

It only lasted a second, though, and then he was off to the races again.

My people.

Cars Mania.

Ever since getting the "Cars" movie a month or two ago, Gav has been obsessed/borderline addicted with the movie, characters and anything Cars-related. He could watch the movie all day if we let him (and no, we don't). He has about 5 books that he looks at all day long. He begs to watch Cars videos on YouTube constantly. He sees Cars paraphernalia every where we go (ok, mostly Target, but we're there a lot). He knows all the characters and totally gets the storyline.

He's lucky to have a talented daddy that can draw his favorite character, "May-May" (Mater), for him to color.

And, equally lucky to have a willing big sister to read to him all day long.

I'm lucky, because I enjoy the movie as well, even after 500 showings. We're all looking forward to Cars 2 coming out this summer; but Gav, he's "as happy as a tornado in a trailer park!" (said in my best Mater voice).

There once was a boy...

The boy liked to ride bikes. One day, the boy got to visit the bike store (yes, the same bike store that daddy would live in if he could). The boy got to ride a really cool, pedal-less, help-you-learn-to-ride bike at the bike shop. The boy asked mommy and daddy for a "hemmet" but his mommy and daddy were reluctant to take one out of a box and so therefore proceeded to "supervise" him (aka take pictures of the little helmet-less boy "riding" the bike).

Next thing you know, the boy toppled over, hitting his cute little head on the only table in sight. The poor little boy cried, but not for long. His mommy and daddy hoped that he escaped without as much as a scratch. Wrong. The boy cut his head.

The boy then got to go to the ER for the 2nd time in his young life (and probably not the last).

The boy ran around the waiting area for a bit, acting as if nothing was wrong.

The boy then got weighed, had his ears checked, eyes checked, temp taken... and then finally, his boo-boo checked. It was determined that he needed some "string band-aids", said the doctor.

The boy recited "bye-bye, go bye-bye, nigh-nigh" over and over again, becoming more and more anxious as time passed. A man came in the room and put a numbing cream on the boo-boo. The nerve of that man. Doesn't he know that hurts?! The boy showed his anger.

And then quickly settled, because, frankly, when you look this tough with your head wrapped, you might as well act the part... with a stone-cold face.

After a 20 minute wait, it was time for the "string band-aids". The boy's mommy and sister left the room (much to his dismay) and daddy watched as the doctors strapped the boy down.

Daddy proceeded to show the boy some videos on his phone and for the next 25 minutes that he was getting his boo-boo fixed, he never even flinched. That's right, not so much as a wince as he had his head stitched back together.

That's one tough little boy.

Also known around these parts as Head-Wound Harry.

In a couple weeks, the boy will be as good as new. Until then, his mommy and daddy are desperately trying to prevent any more falls or bumps to the noggin... almost an impossible task for parents of a soon-to-be, crazy 2 year old.

Cute.

I haven't taken many pictures the last couple months. Being stuck inside does that to me... but hopefully the longer days and sunshine will re-inspire me a little.

I love these photos with our little Gavie. Ky was spending this day with grandma Lori, Pa and her cousins. The three of us (a very rare occurence) were heading out to meet up with everybody for dinner when we snapped these shots.

Love this little guy.

The next one is a little older (maybe a month or 2 ago?). Daddy with a lap full. He always gets attacked when he walks in the door from work. Who wouldn't want to be attacked by this two munchkins?!

Topsy Turvy Day.

It was Topsy Turvy Day today at preschool so Ky got to wear this smashing outfit.

I would say she pulled it off quite well. :)

My awesome girl.

Awesome is her word of the day. It has never really been a word that she uses much (even though I do), but today, she has used it no less than 5 times.

As she finished her 3rd large piece of stromboli at dinner tonight, she said:

"Mmmm, these pizza fings are awesome!!"

I love that. Love her enthusiasm for food.

She's at such a fun, sweet, cute, caring, awesome age right now. I've said it throughout most of her life, but... 4 1/2 might be my favorite age.

About a month ago we said goodbye to naps. I'm thankful that they were with us for this long. She was always such a great napper. Her last nap was even a typical 2 hour nap. And then the next day: nothing. So we have adjusted and settled quite smoothly into "quiet time." Most days she does really well and has her time in her room playing quietly (and making a mess). She seems completely rested and happy so I suppose I can't complain. (Hush, matt).

She loves school. She's getting really good at writing her letters and enjoys doing it.

She cannot wait to turn 5 and talks about it multiple times a day. She talks about all of the things she will be able to do when she is 5. She talks about what her 5th birthday party will be like. She talks about going to Kindergarten next year (even though I have told her many times that she has 1 more year of preschool before Kindergarten she continues to talk about it).

She dances and sings (crazy made-up word songs) all day. (Hmm wonder where she gets this??)

She's an amazing big sister... in a very maternal sort of way.

She's excited that it is March and there is a holiday this month. She doesn't know a thing about St. Patrick's Day (except the color green is special and that is enough for her) but she is so thrilled, nonetheless. "I love holidays" she told me today. And she totally does. She loves decorating, crafting, celebrating. She's a chip off her momma's block, for sure.

She loves dessert and starts asking what we are having for dessert before dinner is even started. (Ok, she gets that from me, too).

She's just so easy to get along with. She's so easy to reason with. She's happy. She's funny. She's sweet. She is my girl and I am so thankful for her.