Week One as a One Car Family

Updates on Clifton-
He is eating a ton lately.  Well probably normal to everyone else but for him he has been eating so much!  Which I am really happy.
He has now entered the dress and undress phase.  He changes his clothes multiple times day.  If he spills water, or something gets on anything he is wearing he has to go change.  I have found him numerous times naked too.  He is sure silly.  I am glad he is finally taking action on getting dressed by himself, but I could use less outfit changes:).

This is one of Clifton's outfit choices:)
Also he is not napping:(  So we are trying to figure out quiet time so I can still have some time to myself.

Updates on McKay-
New words - fish, Donald (as in Donald Duck), Mickey, Toodles (we obviously like Mickey Mouse around here), nose, eyes, head, and hair.
She is starting to jibber jabber.  I like this stage.  It's nice when they can communicate and have an actually conversation with you but it is also cute when they talk to you in nonsense language and look at you like you should understand.

McKay wearing my heels:)

So we are going to be a one car family for a while.  We are going to save up for some things for the next few months until we NEED another car.  It will be a change for me because I cannot take Alex to work and will be without a car all day till he gets home.  Things will have to change a little but we can save up a good amount of money doing this.  The good thing is friends are willing to help take me places if I need to go somewhere and it is getting to be nice weather so we can spend most of our day outside.  And luckily this week was a beautiful sunny week.

We played outside most of the week!  We jumped on the trampoline, made a fort outside, played with sidewalk chalk, watched frogs jump, and even played in water.  We got the sprinkler out for the first time tho year.  McKay was a little timid but Clifton was all over it.  I love his swim shorts and rain boots:)  He seriously cracks me up.  Clifton and I even had a water fight.  He did a good job holding his own.  I got pretty wet.  most of the time the kids played in a bin full of water with measuring cups, funnels, and rags.  Clifton even washed his little car.  It was a beautiful week!  I am excited to have more days like these.

We even took a bike ride over to a park.

Saturday we went to the Seattle Aquarium.  My friend had some free tickets so we could not pass that up.

It was pretty crowded but we had fun.  My favorite part was the fur seal.  He was out cleaning himself and showing off how good he looked.  He was cute!

Our six year anniversary was Saturday as well.  It has been the best six years and I could not ask for anything more:)  Alex parents took us out to dinner to celebrate.  Which was really nice.  I got Alex Sounders ticket for our anniversary and we are excited to go in a couple weeks.  He got me a lovely canvas with the Portland Temple on it and our name and anniversary date.  It was a wonderful day:)

Strong and Healthy!

Updates on Clifton-
We had his three years doctors appointment (a little late so we could do McKay's 15 month appointment as well).  He had a really really hard time at the doctors.  He hates people touching him if he does not know them.  HATES it!  All they had to do was measure, weigh, and check his heart.  He screamed and screamed.  Not even bribery worked:(
Good news though.  He is looking healthy and strong.  And had a big growth spurt.  He is not my tiny guy anymore.  He is finally well on the charts! He is thirty pounds (30% which is huge for Clifton) and 38 inches (72%)

Updates on McKay -
Since McKay saw Clifton freaking out she did not want to have anything to do with the doctors either.  Luckily I had Alex there with me (note to self never go alone my kids HATE the doctors).  She is staying pretty consistent and healthy.  She is 22.6 pounds (41%) and 31.3 (68% which is lower for McKay).
She went potty on the toilet! We have been potty training Evan so spending a ton of time in the bathroom.  Anyway she insists on sitting on the toilet as well.  The other night we put her on and she went potty:)

This week I had jury duty which was an interesting process.  I was not too excited because I thought I was going to have to be away from my kids all week.  I enjoy staying home.  I did not get chosen for the jury so I spent a half day at the court house.  It was still really interesting to see how the process goes.  I really like this kind of stuff so I would enjoy being on a jury some day but I would prefer it to be when my kids are in school or grown.  My mother-in-law was awesome and came and helped for that day.

This week Evan started potty training.  So we spent most the week at home.  We made the best of it!

We played with cars and trains in shaving cream, built towers, played in tunnels, used stamps, played games, and just had fun!

McKay making her sad face.  She is a pouter!

Clifton's new attire has been without pants.  He asked to go on a walk like this. Silly kid!

On one of or walks this last week, Clifton ran over to this plant growing and insisted that it was sea horses.  I can see why he said that.  I thought it was cute and observant of him.

Friday morning our car had some troubles.  It is an old car with tons of miles on it but we felt it had another year or so left in it.  But we are pretty sure it is the transmission:(

So now we are a one car family and are on the hunt for a cheap commuter car for Alex.  Clifton enjoyed watching "Mater" tow our car.  He can always find a positive out of a bad thing.

Grandma's Birthday

Updates on Clifton -
His fear of public toilets or not his toilet at home is becoming less of an issue.  I don't have to plead and beg for him to go potty on a toilet that is not his anymore.
Now we need to work on getting dressed by himself.  He is good at getting undressed but refuses to dress himself or put his pants back on after going potty.

Updates on McKay -
She is using a fork without my help and properly.  She is getting so big and does things a lot faster having a brother to watch.  She loves eating with a fork:)

She loves imitating.  She is talking on the phone like mommy. (I don't normally sit in a box though)

We had more fun playing together this week.

Forts are always a hit and hours of entertainment!

The boys really wanted to go on a boat.  So I took them on the foot ferry.

We just rode it to Bremerton and then rode it right back.  This is McKay's first time (being old enough to know what is going on and be excited).  She liked it.  She loved watching the birds.

Friday Grandma and Grandpa Stanley came to town.  Clifton was so excited to see them and McKay was as well.  That day we took Grandma and Grandpa to Seattle to ride the ferris wheel and take them out to dinner.

Ferry ride.

Ferris wheel ride.  It was our first time as well.  It was so fun!  The kids loved it!  Lots of fun.  Maybe next time we can go on a nice day:)
On our way to dinner we stopped at the arcade and stores/restaurant area on the Pier.  They had a carrousel and of course we had to ride on it.

Just being silly:)

The next day was the first day of the little trains in Port Orchard.  The rain held off so we decided to go for a little train ride with Grandma.

This was McKay's first time.  It was a little chilly but we all still had fun!

That night we decided to take advantage of Grandma and Grandpa's hotel and swim in the pool.

Swimming is always fun.  We had a great weekend celebrating Grandma's birthday:)

No More High Chair

Updates on Clifton -
He is using the big boy potty all by himself!  So nice to be able to have him go upstairs and not need me to help with everything when he has to go potty.  He is getting so big!

Updates on McKay -
She is refusing to sit in her high chair.  She is at a stage where she wants to be independent and do things like a big kid.  Specially because she has her big brother's example.

So she sits at the table with the rest of us and does pretty well at sitting still and eating.

This week we had lots of fun taking walks enjoying the sunny or non rainy days and just being together.

We love playing together.

This week Clifton was having a hard time when Evan was going home so Alex made a deal one day that they would go play in the puddles after Evan went home.  Just the two of them.

That worked:)  Oh man did Clifton enjoying splashing in puddles and having Daddy time.  It amazes me how much giving your children a little extra attention/one on one time makes them feel so special!  They had a blast.  Clifton came back with so many stories to tell Mommy:)  Very cute!

This weekend we went bowling with some friends.

We had fun!  However it was difficult this time.  Because McKay is at the independent stage she really gets mad when she cannot do things all by herself.  So this made her upset.  Clifton loved using the ramp and knocking down pins.  All in all it was fun, we are just at a tough stage with McKay and her not wanting help.

Easter 2013

Updates on Clifton -
He is doing better at going on a big boy potty:)
He said something that really made me laugh this week.  When he was going potty he told me, "poop makes you go tinkle." True statement but still funny to hear:)

Updates on McKay -
New words this week - chocolate and dirty.  She is picking up words right and left.  She is going to be saying full sentences in no time.

The sunshine was out all week!  Oh and you know we took advantage of that and got outside!

We got our sunglasses out and played outside!  My perennial flowers are starting to come back up so the kids and I worked in the flower bed.  They are great helpers.  We also went over to our friends' house and played on their trampoline.

Sunshine also means taking walks and visiting our little park.  That happened everyday this week:)  Nothing better then kids playing together and the sun shining.

Easter was this week so we had three Easter Egg Hunts! The first was our neighborhood Easter egg hunt.

They both caught on quick to what they should be doing.

Then our ward had a little Easter egg hunt too.

That was really fun to get together with friends and celebrate and it was another beautiful day!

Sunday we got all dressed up nice for church.  I love to match so of course we matched that day:)

Then we headed over to Grandma and Grandpa Peterson's house.  Where we had a huge Easter egg hunt - 355 eggs hidden and I think found:/  It was a lot of fun!

 They looked so cute in their Easter outfits!

We had a wonderful Easter!