the Easter company

This Easter we had family visiting. Uncle Hayden and Aunt Salmon (Samantha) came for an extended weekend. Upon their arrival Friday afternoon, we took them to a community egg hunt (40,000 eggs just laying in the field) which gave them the opportunity to hear and see Max's obsession with them.  As Max puts it ... "eggs are filled with all kinds of stuff like candy, toys, and stickers!"  On Saturday, we had a blast riding the train, going to the zoo, and eating bbq at Pecan Lodge. Sunday was spent eating a ham dinner and sticking around the house since it was a rainy spring day. During the rain break in the evening, Aunt Salmon and Uncle Hayden went out back and hid some eggs for Maximus which was to his delight.

Max & Camille on Good Friday.  Camille is wearing the same gown that I was baptized in 30 years prior.

Max got his cookie monster play-doh kit that he has been wanting for months.  

Camille's favorite item ... her food pouches.  The Easter Bunny knows her well.

Maximus the Wordsmith

Max has reached a whole new world in his vocabulary. We've always been amazed at how he (and probably kids in general) just say phrases for the first time, like all the time. My favorite part about that is not only the new words he's learning, but how he uses them. What's more amusing is how he actually says them. Below are two of my favorites in his wheelhouse right now. Now if we can only get him to stop saying "booty"...

Bed time = favorite time

When I dreamed of what my life with kids would be, it almost always included a snap shot of all of us giggling in the sheets, reading stories, and enjoying each other after a long day. Well my dream is a reality and it's even better than I could have imagined. Our family loves bed time with its story time and kisses galore. When I was pregnant with Camille, her most active movements occurred at storytime when her big brother was talking and touching my belly as we squeezed together in the glider. Today, Max's giddy excitement for story time gets Camille equally excited and she is quick to climb his little red stairs trying her hardest to get into his big boy bed. 

Love The Zoo

Featuring your tour guide, Maximus

 We got a membership to the Dallas Zoo from MiMi and PaPa (Tyler's parents) for Christmas and decided to put it to good use. The family sans me has already gone this year since I've been working out of town, but it was perfect weather so we couldn't resist. Here are some highlights, including how much Max has grown since his first visit.

Various species of monkeys were a highlight, as were the elephants. Mille seemed most interested with the penguins. She was eye level with those little guys. It was the perfect Valentine's Day trip. We are definitely looking forward to many more visits this year.

May 2013 - 2.75 years old

February 2015 - 3.5 yrs old

Playdate Fun!

Maximus had a play date with his friend Maddy last weekend. It was rainy so the kiddos had to stay inside. Maddy was the perfect hostess from picking out the snacks of chocolate covered strawberries and mini chocolate cupcakes to selecting a gender neutral "arts and crafties" project (apparently she wanted to make jewelry initially).

As with all play dates, Max was super excited to play with someone else's toys. He took a particular liking to Maddy's Barbie RV. I have to admit it was super cool. Max just wanted to arrange it and set it all up when Maddy wanted to actually play Barbie.

Classic toddler hide and seek location

Camille was in heaven too as she was surrounded by girl toys which is something we are lacking at our house. 

9 months, baby!

Camille - 9 months

The baby of the family is 9 months old!  She is one handsy, curious, and vocal little girl that still has her brothers reservations at times. Camille can grab at items so quick that I basically put her in a bubble when we eat because if she gets a hand on it then it's officially bath time. The girl loves to eat but more importantly she loves to feel. She (like her brother) is very tactile.

Camille has been crawling for a good month now. She isn't into hyper speeds like her brother was when he was crawling. Primarily because she is trying to bypass learning how to crawl efficiently so she can walk. Camille loves to pull up onto something and side step. She isn't capable of letting go just yet due to her leg strength/balance but the girl tries daily. We also are dealing with some dry skin which is no fun when crawling on carpet. Little Mille has red knees all the way to the tops of her feet.  Don't let the video below fool you on her walking skills.  She was doing her curious walk with Aunt CayCay and since her brother was at school she could do it at leisure.  When the whole family is home, Camille crawls to her walker, walks to her destination, then transfers to the object she wants to stand next to (or the person to which she wants to play with).

Lucky girl had her visit to the pediatrician with no shots this visit. She is on course developmentally and her lungs have recovered from a case of bronchiolitis she picked up after thanksgiving. 

Eating her stat card from the doctor.
Height:  28 1/4 inches
Weight:  19.7 lbs

Always a blur/in motion aka Curious Cami

Saturday morning snuggles

There is one thing that was a must for me and my family and that was a king size bed. I have lots of fond memories of piling into my parents bed on Saturday mornings that I had this grand vision that it would be the same for me too. And it is!

I actually tuck Max into bed on Friday letting him know that we don't have school the next day and he gets to watch cartoons in bed with us in the morning. He generally giggles in excitement then starts demanding his breakfast choices (that kid has always loved breakfast). As a parent I now know why the kids come piling in as it is hard to wake up early on the weekends when your child wakes up at the crack of dawn. It gives mommy and daddy just a few more minutes of time before we have to set our feet on the floor moving. 

These days it's not just Max who joins in the cartoon fun. Camille wants to be a part of the fun too.

Bad photos but you get the visual ... its sibling love

Lucky for us Camille loves the same shows as her big brother (for the time being) but there is a fight over the actual iPad from time to time. 

"No Mille, I got George coming up.  See ..."