Santa

We went to see Santa at the mall this week. Travis was SO excited and couldn’t get to the front of the line fast enough. Isabella was excited, too, until she realized that I was going to try to put her on his lap. She clung to me like a koala bear. SO, we compromised and she sat on my knee in front of them with her dress covering my leg. Thank goodness for digital photography and the ability to crop! :)

When we asked Travis what he was going to tell Santa he wanted for Christmas, his response was, "A GUN!!" When I asked him why he wanted a gun, he said, "So I can shoot you! But just for pretend, Mommy." Phew. So there are 2 guns wrapped in my closet because you can't have a shootout with just one gun! I foresee a lot of gun fights in my future.

First Day of Preschool

Travis started Preschool. I could end the post right now and sit here and bawl. He's growing up SO fast. When he was a little baby, Lindsay used to tease me, "Soon he'll be starting school and walking around with a little Jansport backpack!" It's all her fault! She was right... he's growing up.

He started Aug. 26th, and he is absolutely LOVING it. That Tuesday was his first day, so we all went to drop him off. He was sooo excited! He couldn't wait to take his backpack! We had gotten him one back in the winter, but he hadn't really used it for anything, so to make it special for school, I appliqued a baseball on the front of it and embroidered his name. He LOVED it. Anything baseball these days is a huge hit with him, no pun intended!

He was a little apprehensive when we got there, and kind of hung around Kevin & I instead of going and playing with the other kids, but by the time we left him, he was very busy playing at the train table. I was a little sad that he had found his way and didn't need me anymore, but just as I turned to leave, he came running over and gave me a huge hug! He made my day. Then, when I went to pick him up, he again was gushing over his baseball on his backpack and said, "You're the BEST Mommy in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD!!" Again, he knows how to make Mommy feel better :) It's only 2 days a week this year, so I think I'll be able to handle it.

While he was at school, I had some much needed one-on-one time with Isabella. She totally ate it up. We rolled around together on the floor and I was tickling her, and she was having so much fun getting all the attention.

Here are a few first day pics... The rest can be viewed by clicking HERE.

Isabella's First Year video

Here is a video I had created for Isabella's first birthday. I compiled all our favorite pics and put them to music, burned it to DVD and had it repeatedly playing on the tv in the living room during her birthday party. It was really fun to do, and now to have all her first year photo memories in one video is priceless. It's very sentimental for us to watch and makes me tear up each time! I hope to include more "live movie" footage and sound in subsequent videos. Just thought I'd share for those who were interested!

4 Yr & 15 Month Stats

Travis & Isabella had their 4 year and 15 month checkups the other day. They both are very healthy & very active children! Here are their stats:

Travis

• Height: 43" (95th percentile)
  


• Weight: 38.5 lbs. (75th percentile)

Isabella

• Height: 31" (70th percentile - slowed down some)



• Weight: 21 lbs. 3 oz. (25th percentile)



• Head circum.: 18 (50th percentile)

Vacation 2008

Our summer was off to a great start as the kids and I flew out to PA to stay with my parents for a few days before we all headed down the shore. Kevin wasn't able to get the entire time off from work, so he flew out a few days later and met us at the beach. My whole family (us, my parents, my sisters and family) stayed in a house right on the beach. It was great as the kids were able to play out in the sand in front of the house while we were still in the house getting ready for the day or staying with sleeping babies. There were 5 kiddos ages 4 and under, with 2 true toddlers, so it was not the most relaxing trip at times, but definitely worth it! We all had so much fun, and Travis had a blast with his cousins. Below are a few select photos, but you can view more by clicking on these two links: PA Pics and Ocean City.

4 yrs old!

On June 15th, my little boy turned 4 years old. How the time has flown. He's definitely no longer a little toddler but is now a young boy who loves to play baseball, ride his bike, play with Daddy & his friends, and, thankfully, still snuggle with Mommy. He's such a sweet little boy with a great smile! I wish I could keep him this age forever. I'm treasuring this summer as I know as he goes to Preschool in the Fall and then organized sports next Summer that things will start to get hectic and there won't be as much time together. Ok, enough sentimental-ness!

His birthday party was a lot of fun. Since his most favorite thing in all the world is to play baseball, we naturally had a baseball themed party. For the invitations, I made "tickets" that resembled a ticket to a real baseball game. I then got ambitious and made a cake decorated as the field, and then I put a huge baseball-shaped cake on top. It took entirely WAY too long to decorate! Next year I'll buy one :o)

We thought the day was going to be a wash-out, since it rained a TON Thursday, Friday, and into Saturday morning, (so much that the creek in our backyard spilled over into the bottom part by the swing set & treehouse) but it dried up and was a beautiful evening. He had a blast playing with all of his friends! There are a few more photos here.

Today we (Kevin) decided that it was time to change Travis's toddler bed into a "big boy" bed (full size). Travis was at his cousin's birthday party all day, so we went out and got everything we needed and had it put together by time he got home. He had gotten some baseball accessories for his birthday, so again, the theme is baseball! It helps that Mommy & Daddy love baseball as much as he does!! He was very surprised when he walked into his room and saw the huge bed!

We have bets as to whether or not he'll still come into "my" room in the middle of the night and sneak into bed with "me." To clarify for those who are wondering ... I say "my" and "me" because Kevin works 3rd shift, so I get the whole king-size bed to myself, until Travis sneaks in ... but I never know he's there until the morning! He has learned the art of getting in quietly and laying very still, so I don't mind. Again, he just keeps getting older and soon he won't want to anymore, so I cherish his "little-ness" while it lasts!

Happy Birthday, Travis!

Walking!!!

I'm a little behind in my posts, but Isabella started walking on April 28th - just over 13 months old!! Here are a few videos of her trying out her new skills the first few days...

April 28th

April 28th, take 2!

May 5th - getting better!

She also likes to hang out in the sink while I'm doing my hair & makeup in the morning. She likes to try to put on the makeup, too :o)

While Isabella's been busy learning to walk, Travis has been learning to climb trees, specifically the one in our front yard. Here is a shot of him hanging out in the tree. He's such a BOY!!!