Spring

Saturday, August 31, 2013

First Dentist Appointment!

I have been meaning to take Drew and Anna Kate to the dentist for a while now and I figured since they are three now, I needed to make it happen!  So, we set our appointment up and headed off to see Dr. Webb Thursday.  Drew and Anna Kate were pretty cooperative for 3 year olds, from what I understand. Drew did better than Anna Kate but they both did well and were members of the No Cavity Club!
 Anna Kate was up first. She was feeling a squirrelly that morning and was a bit wild. She did agree pretty easily to lay back in the chair by herself and let the hygienist work on her teeth. Every time she stopped to switch tools, get more tooth paste, etc... Anna Kate would flip over and pop up. so we kept having to convince her to lay back down and let her finish.  She "explored" the office (read: ran wild through the back) while we waited to be seen by Dr. Webb. Someone finally brought her a balloon which I was able to use as leverage for good behavior. We got her out of there without causing too much of a ruckus. I think she was decently behaved with Mamaw Katherine while Drew took his turn. The waiting room was still standing. 
Drew got the award for most cooperative. Bless his sweet heart he was excited but also nervous. He wanted to hold on to my hand. He laid very still while the hygienist worked on him and we watched a squirrel robbing the bird feeder while we waited for Dr. Webb. He also got a balloon and they both got treasures out of the No Cavity box. All in all, a successful appointment! And, I think they will let us come back!

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Savoring Summer

This summer has been strange. It has been rainy and cooler than normal and hasn't felt much like summer. Don't get me wrong, it is nice to be able to get outside and not feel like your baking but it has whizzed by pretty quickly. If the weather pattern continues, I have a feeling we will have a pretty cold (and dare I say SNOWY!?!) winter and fall will most likely be on the cooler side too. So, we spent the weekend savoring what is left of the hot, summer months.
 Saturday John Clay worked for a while and Drew, Anna Kate, and I ran some errands and went grocery shopping. After John Clay got home, I gave him a hair cut. I guess Anna Kate and Drew needed front row seats.
 After beauty shop, Anna Kate wanted to play dress up. She was a beautiful princess (who can't walk in her shoes! Those things are a broken ankle waiting to happen!).
 Princess kisses for Daddy.
 We went to Mamaw & Papaw's house for dinner and for John Clay to do some work on one of his lawn mowers. Drew was all about helping! Do you see his green bucket and hammers on the concrete? When John Clay told him what they would be doing, he packed his tools so he could help!  While Drew was helping fix the lawn mower, Mamaw Katherine, Anna Kate, and I went to Walmart to see if we could find sis a new piggy bank since she dropped and broke hers.  Anna Kate was a wild woman at the store. She wanted everything and would just walk by and grab things and throw them in the buggy. At one point, she grabbed an entire stack (probably 15 pairs ranging from 6mos.-5T) of pink lace leggings and threw them in. We did manage to find a new piggy bank and a couple of other things she convinced us they needed.
On Sunday we did a our usual lunch at DotDots. Drew and Anna Kate found some cupcakes they thought they needed for a snack after they got up from naps.

After snacks we went outside for a car wash. Drew and Anna Kate were both great helpers! 
 They got a little wild with the soapy sponges and water hose. Anna Kate got Drew right in the face.
 Anna Kate helped Grandaddy do some yard work.
 Drew doing his most favorite thing.*
There are some new cows in the feild across from DotDot and Grandaddy's house and Anna Kate especially was quite excited about them. She requested that Aunt Ashley get a chair and sit down with her so they could look at them. She also came up with some names for a few of them.

*While we were at our Sunday lunch, we decided on an impromptu family beach trip! We are going to leave in about 3 weeks and head to Isle of Palms. I am little nervous about how well Drew and Anna Kate are going to travel but I am very excited to see how much they love the beach. Drew isn't going to even know what to do with himself when he sees all of that sand! We will have to be sure and take lots of diggers for my boy!

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

3 Year Stats

Anna Kate and Drew went to the doctor for their 3 year well check today. Luckily, we hadn't seen that place in a while! Everything checked out great and Dr. Bean said they were perfectly healthy and very well behaved and cooperative for their age. I am not sure what room he was in but I would have went more along the lines that they did participate with him and do as he asked during their exam but for the rest of the time they acted like wild donkeys. They fought over toys and crayons, they ran, jumped, climbed on the exam table, sprayed water every where while they turning the sink on an off, climbed under the exam table, rolled all over the floor, asked to go pee 2,800 times, and even did a belly scoot across the room a time or two. The only thing that could have topped it off for this germaphobic mama would have been for them to lick the floor! Other than that though, they were great! :)  Here are their stats:

Anna Kate:
Weight: 28 lbs- 20%
Height:  36 in.- 25%
Head:    51cm- 95%- Still a big noggin*

Drew:
Weight: 31.5 lbs.- 50%
Height: 37 in.- 35%
Head: 53.5cm- >97%- His big ole' head still doesn't register on the chart*

*My children, you can thank the Garlands for a lifetime of special order hats!

Besides sharing a birthday, there aren't many things about Drew and Anna Kate that are the same. They look quite different and they personalities could not be more opposite. But, they compliment each other well!

Drew is my snuggler. He loves trucks, trains, tractors, motorcycles, and lawn mowers. He does not like be woken up before he is ready and will usually cry. He has an odd obsession with socks. He wants to wear them at all times and if we don't pay attention, he will wear two or three pairs at a time. He prefers to wear his tennis shoes but will wear Crocs (with lots of coaxing) only if he can have socks too. He loves to play in the sand box, take his toy diggers and dig in the dirt, and ride his bicycle. He isn't a great eater and doesn't really like meat. His favorite vegetable is corn, his favorite breakfast is oatmeal or a blueberry muffin, his favorite fruit is cantaloupe, and he really enjoys cake. He is stubborn, he picks at his sister just to annoy her, and he doesn't like to share his toys. He is our musical child and beats on anything like a drum (we can thank his Dad for that!). He sings a lot and talks a lot. Sometimes he talks or chants just to hear his own voice. He does this most when he is trying not to fall asleep. He has very good manners and will say thank you, please, and most recently has learned "excuse me" before interrupting. He is proud of his politeness and will tell you he has good manners! He sucks on his pointer or middle finger when he is sleepy and still "pets" his lovey. He is pretty independent and has recently started dressing himself if he doesn't think I am getting to it fast enough. Drew is very intelligent and likes to watch things work so he can figure them out. He is definitely all boy!
Anna Kate is as girly as it gets. She loves butterflies, baby dolls, and picking flowers. She has become an early riser and will get up most mornings before the rest of the house. Usually, she will try to wake Drew up but when he doesn't get up, she will come to our room with all of her loveys, babies, blankets, etc.... and climb in and ask to watch Barney. She likes to pick out her own clothes and also likes to wear tutus and frilly dresses. She loves it when you tell her she is pretty. She mounds her bed (or resting spot on the couch, floor, or chair) up with stuffed animals, babies, pillows, and blankets and will wallow around in them until she finds a comfortable spot. We say she is like a dog making her bed. She loves to go shopping. She really likes going outside and still loves to swing. She also will not eat much meat. She really likes cheese, her favorite vegetable is tomatoes, her favorite fruit is blueberries, strawberries, and grapes, and her favorite breakfast is pancakes. She gives sweet compliments about how someone looks nice or their outfit is pretty and is also polite like her brother with pleases and thank yous. She will also ask how your day was. :) She likes to be waited on and also enjoys "running the show" (I say this trait comes from her Aunt Ashley. She is very attached to her loveys and even though we have two just alike, she has one that is her favorite and insists on having it. Anna Kate is more clingy than her brother and will cry or whine most of the time when I drop her off at school, DotDot's, etc... I'm hoping it is just a phase but for now, she doesn't like to be left by her Mama for any reason.

My two cuties keep life interesting, that is for sure. They have big personalities, they are very active, and love life. Little things excite them and they really take note of anything and everything that is going on around them. They can spot an airplane, a butterfly, or a squirrel from a mile away. They notice immediately if something is different in their familiar environments. I love experiencing the world through their eyes. It is a perspective that is so carefree and fun-loving.

Monday, August 19, 2013

Still partying!

We had birthday party round 2 this past weekend with the Garner side of the family. Drew and Anna Kate didn't mind at all to extend their birthday celebration out for a week. The original plan was to have a pool party at Aunt Donna's but 2013's summer weather has been quite strange and it was coolish and rainy last week so we nixed the swimming idea. We still had a great time! Drew and Anna Kate enjoyed seeing everyone and playing with their baby cousin Rylee. They, especially Anna Kate, love babies! She actually wouldn't leave the poor girl alone. I had to tell Anna Kate to give her some space several times. I am happy for Anna Kate that she has a girl cousin she will be able to play with. Other than Rylee, it is all boys in Anna Kate's life. She handles them well but she could use some girliness too!
 Anna Kate being helpful and giving Rylee her paci. She did find an extra and sneak it into her mouth. I guess she wanted to see if she was missing out.
 Drew actually wanted to hold Rylee this time too! They were trying to make her laugh but she wasn't so sure about this being held by little people stuff! 
 Playing in the floor.
 Anna Kate is such a little mother.
 Birthday cupcakes made from scratch by cousin Mikayla. I think Ann helped with blowing out the candles a little bit!
 Opening gifts. Drew loves this book! Anna Kate got a princess book with stickers that she is pretty fond of also. Our entire house has been decorated.
Playing piano with Gradma Lisa. I think Drew is going to be a musical child.

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Hair cut

Drew got a MAJOR hair cut Thursday night. I casually mentioned to John Clay that Ashley and Amy (our hair dresser) were discussing his hair conundrum and what can be done to help the situation. Amy mentioned that we could try shaving his head to see if it grows back in better. Both he and Anna Kate have several "cow licks". Anna Kate's hair is long enough it doesn't effect much but poor Drew's are right in the front on both sides.  John Clay was all about it and got right on talking Drew into letting him shave his head. Drew was hesitant at first but then got really excited about it. He looks more like a little boy than ever! I'm not sure the majority of people like it but his hair grows fast! Lets just hope it grows back either better or the same and we haven't gone in the opposite direction!
 I kind of wanted to cry at this moment. I did not anticipate doing right away when I brought it up. I was shocked at how quickly John Clay jumped on it but that may have been a good thing. Had it been left up to me, it probably would have never happened. Drew was really good while John Clay cut it. He was a little squirmy when he got to the back because it tickled but otherwise sat very still.
 This is what Anna Kate thought about it! HaHa! She was actually just mad because she said they were making a mess. She wanted her hair done next. Um... NO!
 He just kept rubbing his head. I was afraid at first that he was going to freak out when he realized what really happened but he was good.
The aftermath. My confession: I kept all of the hair! I have no idea why. I have his hair from his first hair cut but John Clay swept it up and put it in the trash which was sad to me (again, I have no idea why this was emotional!). So, I got it out and put it in a Ziplock bag!

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Happy Birthday To You!

Happy Birthday to Anna Kate and Drew.  I wonder where the past three years have gone?! I think about it sometimes and it feels like dog years and that we should actually be on year 6 by now but most of the time, a year has whizzed by me before I know what happened. I remember very vividly their Second birthday party and their First for that matter. It just doesn't seem possible that their First birthday was 730 days ago.  So many new and exciting things have happened this past year and Drew and Anna Kate have changed so much.  They go to the doctor next Tuesday for their three year well visit and I will have a "statistics and personality blog" (I totally just made that up!) then. I like being able to look at my older posts like that to compare.  Sometimes, they go in a complete opposite way but some things have never changed.
Drew and Anna Kate, I love you more than you will ever know. You have completely thrown my life for a loop and I wouldn't have it any other way. Even after several years, it still surprises me how much love I can have for two little people who are loud, stubborn, insist that we operate only on their schedule, and don't do a thing I ask them to, but are so darned cute and cuddly that none of these things matter a bit.
 Birthday goodies at DotDot's Tuesday morning.  Flashing glasses that sing, balloons, singing cards, and of course, monies! Does it get any better than that?!
Taken at 5:45pm while on our golf cart ride. My sweet, sweet girl is officially 3!
Taken at 6:15pm. My handsome man is officially three also!

*And just a little story.... this morning Anna Kate got up early (of course... that is what she does now, you know). So she watched Barney in my bed while I took a shower. When I got out, I heard her yelling at talking to Drew so I knew he was up. I figured he was in there putting on socks that would not be appropriate for him to wear to school (of course...because that is what he does first thing when he gets up, you know). So, I quickly got dressed and headed toward their room to hopefully intercept him and at least get the right socks on him. I found him in the bathroom instead. He got up, took off his pull up and pants, and went to the bathroom on his own! And while I was helping him get his hands washed, his sister went to her room, took her pull up off, and put on panties. The right way, might I add.  I told Aunt Ashley it is like they went to bed newly 3 and woke up tiny adults!

Monday, August 12, 2013

3rd Birthday Party (#1)

We spent this past Saturday celebrating Drew and Anna Kate's 3rd birthday with a party at DotDot and Grandaddy's house.  The weather forecast called for rain but the majority of the day was sunny (and hot and humid).  Of course, about an hour before the party was supposed to start the sky turned black and the rain clouds rolled in.  We didn't let that ruin our fun though! We just moved our party inside. Luckily, our planned activity could have been done either inside or outside.  Since it has rained more days than it hasn't this year, we had a rain plan, just in case!
I started talking to Drew and Anna Kate about their party a few days before. They were so very excited and we kept going down the list of who would be there. Friday on our way home, we finished the list and Anna Kate said, "Oh, I am SO excited. Those are all my favorites!".  Saturday morning they wanted to go to DotDot's as soon as they got up.  After a good nap at home, they popped up and wanted to leave right away. I was still trying to get dressed and I am sure that if they had known how to even remotely drive a car or call a ride, they would have left without me!  It started to rain just before we got to DotDot and Grandaddy's house and they were worried they wouldn't get to have their party because of the rain.Even though I assured them we would still have the party, they kept telling the rain to "go away!".
The birthday party was a success and they had SO much fun. They loved seeing all of their "most favorites". I always think it is awesome to see all of the people who love my babies enough to come celebrate their life.
 While waiting for me to get dressed, Drew went and dressed himself. This is the outfit he chose and he put everything he has on, on himself.  
Trying to get them to show me their 3 shirts Aunt Ashley made before we left. I told them to move their cups out of the way and this is what I got.
 They still have their LOVE for balloons. They were so excited when they came in and found some.
 My little money monger handing out the dough! She loves "monies". She is the best at conning people into giving her money too. Drew doesn't really care as much so she usually takes his.  After opening Grandaddy's card with money in it, she went straight for the cards when it came time to open gifts. 
 Our art project that we had to move inside. Aunt Ashley made each of the kids an apron with their name on it and they got to paint a canvas and take it home.
 They couldn't wait to start painting. Drew and Anna Kate love to paint and color.
Hard at work. 
 It finally stopped raining so we took the party outdoors.  Everyone was wet and muddy but had fun so that is all that matters, right?
And now for another favorite. They were really excited about their cakes. Drew stuck his finger in his several times. Anna Kate told Aunt Ashley when they went in to get the cakes that it was her very special cake. I love their excitement for the little things! 
 Singing Happy Birthday and blowing out candles. This is the first year they were able to blow their candles out on their own.
 The inside of their colorful cakes.
 Opening gifts with Daddy. This is the dog purse she found a couple of weeks ago when I took her shopping with me.  Mamaw Katherine went back and got it for her!
 Drew was on the other side of the living room and it was quite chaotic while opening gifts but as you can tell, he was happy as a clam. What more could I boy need? 
It is still so hard for me to believe that we are celebrating number 3 and that these are my 4lb. 13 oz. & 6lb. 12oz. babies.

They truly did love their party and have asked me every day since then if they are going to have another party that day.  Well they are in luck because we will be having birthday party #2 with the Garners next weekend!

Friday, August 9, 2013

A little of this, a little of that...

I am a couple of weeks behind on blogging. I think it is because I have started on a post a couple of different times but haven't been able to put my thoughts together in a concise way. What have we been doing? Well, lots of things I guess.
Drew and Anna Kate had a sleep over with DotDot and Grandaddy a couple of Saturdays ago while John Clay and I threw a surprise birthday party for a friend. They did well but not great! My little non-sleeper, Anna Kate, woke up sometime around 4 crying and made her way into DotDot and Grandaddy's bed. Drew fell out of the bed not too long after that so he also found himself in DotDot and Grandaddy's bed! When Grandaddy got up  at 7:30 for the day, Anna Kate decided she should get up with him and then decided Drew needed to get up as well. Apparently, she has decided 7:30 is a good time for her to start getting up because she has gotten up at pretty much that same time every morning since. She will usually try to get Drew up too but he has gotten pretty good at tuning her out!
Drew and Anna Kate have also had hair cuts, played in the dirt, went swimming, and many other fun things. We have been busy getting ready for their big 3rd birthday party this week. How on this earth are they already three years old?! I am pretty sure they are going through a growth spurt right now because their appetite has been great. Mamaw Katherine was just telling me that when she picked them up at school this week, she had to look at them for a minute because they had changed so much in just a week that they didn't even look like themselves!
 Going for a little swim.  Drew has turned in to a great swimmer!
 Trying to get in. The water was C.O.L.D.  This summer has been strangely cool.
 My pretty girl getting her hair trimmed.
 Drew felt like he needed to explore while Anna was getting her hair trimmed. I was also getting my hair done at the same time and he was totally amused by the dryer.
 Beautiful!
Looking handsome after his trim. See his socks and Crocs? The crazy kids insists on wearing socks always! He also is always hiking up his pants. Silly boy!
Working hard. He needed to take his diggers out and play in front of the big digger. The boy loves playing in the dirt!
I took Anna Kate shopping with me and she found a few things she needed!
Look at those long legs! They are both getting so big so fast! They were trying out a treat that we were experimenting with for their birthday party.