Friday, May 29, 2009

Spring Pictures - YEA!

I love, love, love having my kids pictures taken and look forward to it for weeks and this time it just so happened to work out that Carter turned 6 months at about the same time Aiden turned 4. So off we went to Portrait Innovations to have my sweet kids pretty smiles documented yet again. Our photographer was very good and was able to get Aiden to smile naturally instead of the fake smile he always gives me.


My two boys


Carter Bug


Aiden's mandatory "age block" picture


Aiden as "Cool Daddy"


I don't know why they insist on putting infants in chairs, it's just a disaster waiting to happen.


Carter and Mommy - I'm sure one day I'll appreciate having it!


Carter, beginning his stand up routine.


Another good one of Aiden


"Pay attention Carter, it's almost over!"


My personal favorite!


Sweet baby

And one more to leave you with!

Monday, May 18, 2009

A few weekend's ago my best friend and I decieded that we were going to face our fears and venture out with just the two of us and her daughter and my two boys - out numbered! This means if one of the kids starts crying that only leaves one adult to handle two kids - very scary - at a craft festival no less! I know you are probably rolling your eyes right now thinking - what's the big deal? But if you had ever seen Carrie and I try to do anything you would understand, something always happens. So anyway, we finally get all three kids and their carseats, strollers, diaper bags, snacks, bottles, two changes of clothes per child, our purses and ourselves into the car we realized that we didn't even have room for a sheet of paper much less any room to buy anything at Homestead Hollow.



Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on the way you look at it, as soon as we pulled out of the garage we no longer had to worry about buying anything at Homestead Hollow because the bottom fell out! It was raining so hard we knew that it was pointless trying to maneuver two strollers through the rain and mud so we decided instead to go to our indoor sanctuary, the place where all man-made goodness flows, The Galleria! So after a stop to eat breakfast (did I mention that we left the house with three kids in tow at 8:30am, it was too much to ask for us all to have eaten breakfast) and a stop at the gas station, we were standing at the gaudy glass and brass gates willing to surrender all of our hard earned money to the full priced clothes gods.

After we found a parking space and got the two little ones diapers changed we got everyone in their place and off we went to bathe in the happiness. And let me tell you, Aiden was not happy having to sit in the stroller when all he wanted to do was run around like a crazy man.




I learned a long time ago to bribe my children with a snack or activity that they really want in order for them to behave while I shop. So we worked out a deal that he got to do something fun between each store. To make matters worse, I had to feed Carter before we got started shopping and this delay meant that his first much anticipated activity was also postponed. So here is how Aiden spent his time.












Then we were off, first to Macy's to check out kid's clothes, since this is all I buy these days. As soon as we were finished Aiden spied his first "reward", The Jumpy (we never remember what it's called so this is the name we made up for it).















After the jumpy we were off to The Children's Place (again another kids store). After about 5 minutes of shopping, which if you have kids you know that this is a respectable amount of time, we went in seach of food, which is, the site of the dreaded carousel. Again, Aiden had a great time while poor Abby and baby Carter had to sit and watch. As you can see below Aiden was fast enough this time to snag Big Al before some other snot-nosed kids could lay claim to him (this is the first time in Aiden's three years of carousel riding that he has ridden from atop the mighty back of the great Big Al.









After the carousel ride we gave up on shopping, rode the elevator, which is also high up on a kids "fun list" got cookies and went home in seach of three little beds for nap and some peace and quiet. I'll leave you with some great shots of Carrie and Abby.