Braden: 3 years + 4 months

Woah, by typing this entry I realize that Mr. Braden is getting closer to 3.5 years old. Seems crazy to me as just yesterday we were in our towhome celebrating his first birthday on the patio with some cake smashing!

Braden at the age of 3.4 is not only a big brother and a pre-schooler, but he is also a patient, kind, caring, fun, excited, active, adventurous, inquisitive and imaginative child. In the winter months, we spend more time indoors obviously, so Braden has really been into coloring and building different things with his Lego's like boats and dinosaurs. The past month or so was a little rough for Braden. He had a single-ear infection along with a terrible cold, which went right into a double-ear infection with a bad cough, congestion and a few days of a fever. He was not himself for a few weeks. It was hard for me to see him with mood swings and crying in pain some days. I am happy to report that he is back to normal and is active and happy as before!

At school, Braden continues to enjoy the art projects, games and reading time. The teacher says he is the kid that always asks for one more book, which he also does at home so that is no big surprise. We spend time each day looking at books and playing "I spy" where he will tell me to find something that he sees in the book and I have to find it and we take turns back-and-forth.

Braden is phasing out his naps these days, unless it's just a stage for now. At first I was a little bummed since Liam needs to take a nap anyway, so it's not like we can stay out and play during that time. But now that I have seen how well he sleeps on the "no nap" days I am OK with it. He will sleep 12 hours, which includes a little more quiet time for Mom at night and more time to sleep in for Mom too :) We call it "quiet time" now, so he still goes up to his room and reads books or plays with his blocks quietly until I come get him (usually 60 or 90 minutes later). On the really active mornings, he may fall asleep on his own but that only happens once or twice a week now. Braden sure is growing up fast too! Next year he will attend 2 days of preschool. He will be in preschool one more year after that though due to his fall birthday. It seems so far away, but yet I know that day will be here before I know it.

Braden is mama's little helper, always helping me when I need an extra hand. He is thoughtful by sharing snacks with friends or bring Liam his favorite toy. Yes, he also fights over toys with his brother. But overall, Braden is pretty patient, a good listener and willing to help. I am so thankful for him! With the boys being so young and physically demanding, it's a bit easier that I have Braden as my right hand. With my teaching schedule, on top of keeping the kids fed and house cleaned and laundry and groceries done (just to name a few), I am physically exhausted at the end of each day. With Braden around, it's a little less exhausting as he is learning to do more things on his own and he is so kind to help me out when I need it. He also makes me laugh with his silliness sometimes. I love way he gets so excited to do things like throw the football in the house with me or go on one of our adventures. Braden is turning into a little man and I hope and pray he stays sweet and kind. :)

Liam: 17 months

 

Before haircut!

 

During haircut!

 

Liam's 17 month milestone has come and passed! It seems as though this month he has taken a big leap in his development. Liam is saying a lot more words lately. Newly added to his vocabulary is: stuck, Bray (for Braden), puppy, teddy, hot, up, hi, bye, mine (this one I love! not), bath, Jate (for neighbor Jake), and dip (which he uses for Ketchup, ranch, hummus). We also still have his famous words of ball, Mommy, Daddy, no, apple, and bubble. He loves to look at books now and make animal sounds. He and Braden spend a lot of time running around the house, racing each other and chasing each other. It's a ton of fun to watch. They giggle, and of course they fight over toys but we are trying to learn to share and take turns. As all parents know, that is a constant battle!

Per the picture above, Liam got his first haircut at 17 months! I figured he would wiggle the entire time or maybe cry, but the little guy just sat as still as can be and did not move an inch. He was so proud when he was done and got to pick out a sucker just like big brother. Oh what fun it was to watch his big brown eyes stare intently as he got his first "real" haircut.

Liam understands soooo much now. I ask him questions and he will tell me yes or no. He will go wherever I tell him to go- upstairs, downstairs, to the kitchen for a meal, and upstairs for bedtime. He is a funny little man. His deep belly laugh makes us smile ear-to-ear. Liam is a thrill-seeker, he loves anything that involves bouncing, jumping or being tossed up in the air. He continues to do everything that big brother does such as coloring, jumping on the bed, throwing footballs and running. We have gone to the Children's Museum a few times this winter and it's super fun to watch Liam run around and play. Our other favorite place to go in the winter is Skyzone, and although he doesn't do a ton of jumping alone, he runs around and tries to catch me on the trampolines and loves when I bounce him high while we hold hands.

Liam is a smiley, sweet boy with a ton of spunk. He is still consistent in his moods- either so happy or gets very mad at the drop of a hat. He expresses his anger with tears, laying on the floor, yelling "no" or sometimes swatting me. Something I am working on is explaining to him that we can express our anger in other ways, but yeah, I'm sure that will be a work in progress for a long time. :) It's so fun to watch Liam grow and grow and get to be able to do more things. He gets excited too when he learns a new trick or gets to do big boy stuff. He likes to carry his little puppy and teddy everywhere he goes. The other week, he threw his puppy in a pond inside Central Park. That was funny, but it ende well as a worker got him back for us.

He goes down to bed soooooo good- he loves his sleep (like Mom). He just lays down and smiles when you put him in his crib. I remember last year when I asked myself if he would ever sleep! He takes a 2 to 2.5 hour nap, and then also sleeps from about 7:45/8 to about 7am. Liam is our big eater, always hungry and always signing for "more". He is my low-blood sugar guy. He can't go 3 hours without eating so I have learned to carry snacks with me at all times! Again, simular to Mom as I carry snacks for myself too, ha! He is a fast guy, running the opposite way as I want him to sometimes as he giggles and thinks it's a game. Liam loves to dance, play ball (still) and do anything outside!

I still can't believe how fast this guy is growing! Liam keeps us on our toes, he is a quick learner by following Braden on everything and is such a joy to be around!
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January Pinterest Picks!

Now that the holidays are over and it's chilly out (hello sub zero temps), I have spent some time on Pinterest. Not only looking around and "pinning" favorites but also implementing a few good finds. It's so easy to "pin", but we need a little motivation to actually refer back to our favorites and give them a try. January in Minnesota is a great time to try new recipes, or do-it-yourself tricks around the house.

Many people are on Pinterest, but just don't have time to use it. Or some people "pin" things to their boards but don't have time to go back in and actually do anything with them. Or some people may be too intimidated by Pinterest and have no idea how it works so they just stay away. Well, each month I will pick my top 3-5 favorite Pinterest picks and will post them here. They will all be things that I have tried on my own and like. I figure it might save others the time, and it also forces me to go in and check-off some on my list.

Here are my picks for January:

1. Magic Shower Cleaner
Instructions: Keep one in the shower filled with a mixture of half vinegar and half Dawn dish soap. Use it to wipe down the shower while you are in there and your shower will always be clean.

My comments: This is amazing. I saved this on my Pin board, but hadn't done it until my sister said how awesome it was. The next day I had to try it. It took away any hard water stains in our shower. This is one of those, "I wish I knew about this a long time ago" tricks that you come across. I keep it in the shower and do a quick swipe each time I am done showering.

 

2. Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken/Porkchops

Instructions: 4 - 6 chicken breasts, Hawaiian style BBQ sauce, can of crushed pineapple into a slow cooker for 6 hours on low.

 

My comments: I am always looking for something different to cook in the crockpot. I used porkchops instead of chicken. This was so easy, and yummy. I love anything that takes only 3 ingredients, easy to remember at the grocery store!

 

3.   Baked Ravioli

Instructions: Heat oven to 400°F. Spray bottom and sides of a 9×13 rectangular baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 3/4 cup of the pasta sauce in baking dish. Arrange half of the frozen ravioli in a single layer over the sauce; top with half of the remaining pasta sauce and half of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers once, starting with ravioli. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes longer or until bubbly and hot in the center. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

 

My comments: This was another easy recipe. I don't have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen with two little kids running around while I am trying to prep. I am not a huge pasta fan, but I like it once in a while and ravioli is probably my favorite pasta dish. This even felt like lasagna with the layers.

Gotta get my Pinterest fill before the weather is nice again and I put it away for a few months. :)

 

 

 

 

 

Liam: 16 months

 

Our littlest dude turned 16 months at the end of December (yes, I'm still behind in blogging). Liam is not only a toddler, but a toddler on wheels! He is fast. If you open a door for one second he is outside before you can even catch him. Not only is Liam fast, but he is one funny little guy.

What is Liam up to at 16 months (besides running in the opposite direction)? He is catching up to big brother more and more each day. He wants to play and do everything that Braden does whether it's racing cars, chasing each other around the house or playing trains. Liam is talking more too. His latest words are up, down, off, on, Braden (this one sometimes sounds like Bray-en), ouch, hot, water, teddy. He can say Grandpa and Bapa too. He signs "more" during meal times. He understands everything you say by shaking his head yes or no, or saying yes or no out loud. He came down with pink eye this week so when I say it's time for eye drops, he will point to his eyes and come lay down on my lap. It's so fun to see how he develops more and more each day and understands so many things. His latest obsession is toothbrushes and sitting on chairs. The past two weeks we've had a lot of fun- Children's Museum, swimming lessons and jumping at SkyZone. Liam is able to do so much right now, so I am really enjoying taking both guys out to fun places and watching them explore, learn and have fun.

Liam is full of life and energy. He loves to run in circles until he gets dizzy and then fall and laugh. He doesn't sit still for a minute. He loves to be silly by taking his socks off constantly, kicking his pants off when you are trying to put them off and running the opposite direction when you are trying to leave or get him to come to you. Liam loves to dance and he absolutely loves dogs. He is getting a little more independent, playing on his own before he goes searching for me yelling "Mommy" throughout the house. He and Braden play pretty good, but of course will fight over toys as all siblings do. Liam is a joy to be around and when he is mad he will let you know. You will never have to guess what Liam is feeling, he will let you know. Liam's smile and laugh bring us so much joy. He is our precious little baby, although he no longer seems like a baby as I packed up all his baby clothes!