Top Ten

Now that I am finally caught up on Cal's birthday party I figured I would also get around to posting a few of Cal's current favorite things. My goal is to ask Cal and Rhys the same questions every year as they grow up so we can remember them as they were at that age. I'm also hoping for a little cuteness and hilarity over the years. If I wrote the list on a piece of paper, I would lose it. So to the blog it goes!

Cal's Favorite Things at 2 Years Old

1. Color: blue

2. Book: Machines

3. Song: Itsy Bitsy Spider

4. Movie: Cars

5. Food: string cheese

6. Treat: cupcakes

7. Drink: apple juice

8. Toy: Lightning McQueen matchbox car

9. Animal: pigs

10. Activity: playing with his train set

(Gotta love the "Cheeeeeese!!" face)

Birthday Boys

February 8th was a big day for us this year. Jakob turned the big 3-0, Marshall turned 3, and Calvin celebrated his 2nd birthday with a few of his favorite people (extremely belated due to a few things we had going on near his actual birthday like Christmas, New Years, and the birth of his brother). Needless to say, February 8th was a day worth celebrating!

**Disclaimer**

Before I go on about Calvin's bus themed toddler birthday extravaganza, please note that Jakob was 100% fine with sharing his birthday with Calvin and insisted that he did not want a party of his own. I just have to clear the air. I don't want anyone thinking I planned a giant play-date while completely forgetting about my husband's milestone birthday. We are hoping to celebrate our 30th's this year by running away to some far off destination this fall.. hopefully tropical.. with endless mojitos.. and quiet.. and food more delicious than grilled cheese and applesauce...

Back to reality.

I chose a bus theme for Cal's little party. He's been all about transportation for the past few months and I figured a bus theme sounded cute so I rolled with it. Well, I chose wrong. The correct choice would have been an all out Disney Pixar Cars themed birthday as he is beyond obsessed with the little red car and cried out for Lightning McQueen plates as we walked through the aisles of Party City. Oh well, that's what 3rd birthdays are for. 

So without further ado, I give you the next best thing.. a bus birthday party.

For our birthday brunch: a waffle, pancake, yogurt, and mimosa bar.

What birthday would be complete without cupcakes?

And very specific cupcakes I might add. Calvin found a rainbow cupcake in a cookbook of mine and insisted on asking for them every single day leading up to his party. "Cake... pweeeease... CAKE.. PWEEEEEASE!!" and so on. 

 The birthday boys. At two and thirty respectively.

 I did my very best to get a few pictures with all of the kids. Holy blurred photos!! Trying to get them all still and in the same place is worthy of an Olympic medal.

I tried. I think at some point they are all clear in one photo or another.

Of course we couldn't have a bus birthday without a ride on the bus. A cheaply made homemade poster-board bus at that. So fancy.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Calvin!!

Happy 30th Birthday, Jakob!!

Bachelors

Happy Valentines Day from my two little bachelors lookin' for love.

The oldest is looking for someone who shares his passion for Lightning McQueen and Skittles.

The youngest is all about the boobs.

Rhys at One Month

Our new little guy is already one month old! (Well, now he's more like 6 weeks old.) As it always seems to do, time has gone by incredibly fast. We spent the first month of his life cuddled up inside during the coldest month of my life. I could go on and on about how stir crazy we are staying inside all day but it's more fun to talk about the joy that is spending Rhys' early newborn days cuddled up on the couch next to a cozy fire. And seriously, that is all we have done most days. Calvin now thinks every day is a movie day and Rhys hardly knows that a world outside these familiar walls even exists. All I can say is this spring better deliver.

And now on to our life with Rhys. With the exception of the middle of the night, he is a great baby. After a few sleepy weeks where he pretty much nursed and drifted in and out of sleep he is now becoming more wakeful. During the day he loves to relax on a Boppy or in his swing and stare out the window or watch his brother run through the house. Typically content, he is happy to lounge in the arms of whoever is willing and is just starting to smirk and smile when we talk to him. I adore my daytime Rhys.

Nights are a different story. Our sweet baby turns into a crank baby right around 10pm and continues to wake/feed/fuss on the hour until the sun comes up when he resumes his easy going lifestyle. This was the story of our lives for the first solid month but things seem to be taking a turn (fingers crossed- knock on wood- a sprinkle of salt over the shoulder). Thankfully, we have had a lot of help from the grandparents who have given us (mostly me) some time to nap and relax during the day. This weekend we celebrated Jakob's birthday with a three and four hour stretch of sleep during the night. I pray this is the start of something good.

We continue to learn a little more about him every day. This week he has been super interested in looking at lights and ceiling fans. He enjoys his pacifier and listening to music. As for his features, his eyes are becoming lighter and lighter and taking on a bluish hue. His hair is brown and starting off much darker than Cal's. He has his mother's nose and brother's round cheeks. He is gearing up to be a very different (and much bigger) baby than his brother. Adorably and uniquely Rhys.

Sweet Rhys, we love you so very much and cannot imagine our lives without you. You have brought us so much joy in your one month here. We cannot wait to watch you grow.

Now please don't grow too fast.