Growing Up

Evan is going through a lot of changes right now and they all have to do with growing up and becoming a "Big Boy".  This is a bittersweet time because I get to watch him mature and become a more independent person doing "big boy" things like using the potty, pulling on his own pants and underwear, cutting holding scissors the right way, learning to spell his name aloud and drawing circles and much much more.  But I am also watching my baby become a preschooler and this is a little sad, but a part of life!

When I look at Evan buck naked, I see that he has lost most of his "baby belly", he has gotten taller and lost some of the chub in his cheeks.  He is looking more and more like a little boy rather than a toddler.  I just went through his clothes and he is no longer wearing size 2T or even 3T, I am buying 4T shirts and 3T pants.  Anything 2T is tight or short.....when did this happen???  We just got him sandals for the spring and summer and they are a size 8....really??  The size 7s won't work anymore??  Seriously he is growing every time I blink!

Earlier this year Evan took on independence by learning to put himself sleep and sleeping in his own bed...a twin size to boot!  Now that he is expecting 2 more brothers we needed a new room for him.  My family along with Tony and I made that happen and he LOVES it.  He has a new "dinosaur" bedroom.  Nana painted it blue and put dinosaurs all over the wall along with a dinosaur border, he has been in love since night one in his new room.  He even has had no problem with the fact that his old room will go to his brothers!  What a kid!

About 2 weeks ago we started potty training AGAIN!  This time he had no choice but wear underwear....diapers are no longer an option.  We are still working hard with it, he refuses to sit on the regular toilet, he says he is "scared"  and he waits until we put him to bed in a diaper to poop.  Baby steps :-)  He stays dry all day with little prompting to sit on the toilet.  When we go out in public he "holds it" until we get home so he can pee in his potty.  He is really learning and I am excited for this transition.

Our next endeavor is the binky.  He only gets it when he sleeps or is in the car, but he is SUPER attached to it.  I don't want to throw too much at him all at once so we will give it another month or so before we say good bye completely to the binkies.

He is really showing us that he wants to know how far he can go before a consequence will happen.  We often hear "no" from him or watch him run from us when asked to do something.  He thinks that banging his head on the ground, biting himself, hitting himself in the head or even giving himself a spanking will in some way make us feel sorry for him and give in to his wants....not so much buddy!  But he also has the cutest little grin that he uses when he wants to butter us up because he knows it is hard to say no to that cute little face...what a manipulator!   His vocabulary is soaring and using full sentences for full conversations is becoming a constant.  I couldn't be more proud of my little guy.

Lastly, Evan is thrilled with the impending arrival of his little brothers.  We named them Riley and Morgan and he is excited to call them by their names.  Recently while shopping with my mom, Evan kept bringing 2 of every outfit to her saying "Nana, this one is for Riley and this one is for Morgan!"  He is excited now that there are 2 cribs in the babies room and as we get more and more stuff set up for them it becomes a little more real for him.  He kisses my tummy in 2 different spots everyday and even tells Riley and Morgan good night when it is nap time.  I still think this is going to be a hard blow to his comfortable little world, but hopefully by talking to him about the babies and explaining what is going to happen, he won't be too shocked when they arrive.

Asleep in his new room...cozy and comfortable!

I came out of the shower and this is what I found!  "I was hungry mom, I NEEEED these chips!"

He got stuck searching for toys in his toy box...of course I had to take a picture before helping him!

Kissing his brothers <3

My handsome little ham!

Loving life with my family, loving watching my little boy grow and looking forward to watching 2 more grow!

Two More Handsome Little Boys!

Yesterday was the big day that we found out we are adding 2 new baby boys to our family!  We went to the specialist for a mid-way through pregnancy visit and found out the wonderful news!

I can't say I am shocked because I didn't have an overwhelming feeling either way, however I sort was expecting girls just because it is what everyone said we needed to have...LOL  Tony wasn't too shocked at all, he said he had a gut feeling they were boys.

Both babies look wonderful and are growing well!  They share a placenta which puts them at risk for "twin-to-twin transfusion", meaning that one could take more nutrients than the other causing the other to suffer and stop growing.  The doctors are keeping a close eye on this and so far there are no sign of this occurance! I continue to see my regular OB every 2 weeks for an ultrasound and now the perinatalogist every 3 weeks.  Needless to say it is a lot of appointments but it makes me incredibly happy to see how well they are doing so often.

Doctor says I will most likely have them around 36 weeks (mid July) and that they should be perfectly healthy!  I will most likely be on bed rest for the end of this journey and since I am already HUGE at 5 months I can expect to get a LOT more uncomfortable....uggghh!  BUT I am so grateful and thank God every day that they are growing well and are healthy!

Here are the recent ultrasound pics:

Baby A's heart rate...156 nice and healthy!

Baby A's right side profile of head

Baby B's heart rate...147 also nice and healthy!

Baby B's left side profile of head

So very blessed and thankful for my growing family!

March Weather Madness!

What a crazy March we have been having this year!  Just last week we spent time at the park without jackets.  It was a warm and sunny day and it felt like spring!

A couple of days ago we had a huge hail storm.  The hail that was coming down looked like the little Styrofoam balls that come in bean bag chairs!

Today we woke up to about 2 + inches of snow!

That's Washington for ya!

The Babies in My Tummy

We have been constantly talking about the twins to try and prepare Evan the best we can.  He is very excited and talks about them a lot and is not afraid to tell people that he is going to have TWO babies!

Everyday he has something new to say about them.  He really wants them to be "geels" (girls) and he really wants to see them....NOW!

I always tell him to be careful of my tummy, no jumping on me or hitting etc.  The other day we were cuddling and his feet were on my tummy.  I told him to be gentle with his feet, to which he replied "My feet are just holding the babies mommy"

While brushing his teeth after his bath one night I asked if he would help me gives the babies a bath he he said yes he was going to take a bath with them, then he lifted up my shirt and said "I want to see them, I can't, how about I get a flashlight?"  He is so funny!

He gives the babies kisses daily and rubs my tummy.

He says he has 2 babies in his tummy too.

He is going to be a great big brother once he adjusts to sharing me.  It seems like the farther along I get the more attached he is to me and that is going to be so difficult come d-day.

Love this little boy, and I know my love will just grow and multiply once the twins are born, but right now it is very hard to imagine loving anyone/anything more than him.

His Own Little Person!

Evan amazes me everyday, and cracks me up constantly!  Of course we have our fair share of trying times, but mostly he is just a ham!

Here are some random pictures from Feb./March.....Evan really knows what he likes and he really is his own little person!

Evan chose this dinosaur at Goodwill one day and it became his favorite for a long time.  He slept with it, ate with it and if he could have taken it the bath he would have!

He was matching the little markers to the big ones. "Mom where is the big pink one?"  He can be such an organizer sometimes.

Painting is a favorite past time.

Desperate for a binky, Evan climbed the dresser to where they  "hide" and got stuck!  I just heard him from the other room yelling "HELP ME! PLEEAASSEE!"

Our February attempt at potty training...it didn't go well, but he loves  his underwear!

Gymnastics is a place to release energy and it is another favorite past time.

He loves to build and use his hands.

Just "chillin'" watching a movie before bed.

I just had to share this one....he lotioned himself up after a bath one night and  didn't miss a spot on his body....not even his cute little butt!

Dinosaurs are Evan's absolute favorite things!  We are making him a "Big Boy " room before the babies are born and dinosaurs are the theme.

Evan could spend his whole life at the park!  The little boy behind him is his age and they played together, only instead of using the boy's name Evan just called him "My Kid"! 

Ice cream was a special treat for super behavior.  I swear he is the only one who can get it on his forehead rather than his mouth!

My handsome little guy!  He just LOVES to be outside and would live there if he could!

Love this kid, Love my husband, Love my life!

Out of the mouth of a 2 year old!

So Evan says some of the funniest things and I often wonder where on earth did he come up with that?!  But then I realize that I need to listen to myself and Tony more closely (blush).

Today I asked him to take the laundry out of the dryer for me, his reply:
"In just a minute mom, I watching Mike the Knight."
After about 10 minutes his show was over:
"Ok I get the laundry now, my show is over"
And he did it!

When I ask him to do something such as clean up his toys, clean up a spill, climb into bed by himself, etc.  His reply is usually:
"I can't, I too little"

Just the other day Evan went outside to help Tony take out the garbage, he came running back in stating:
"It's freaking cold outside!"  (I'm going to blame this one on Tony)

While coloring with markers, Evan couldn't get the lids back on:
"This is really pissing me off!"  (OK I will take the blame for that one)

We have been talking about preschool a lot lately and he knows he is going to start in Fall.  While changing his diaper one day he says:
"Mom, I gotta go in the bathroom, check myself out, make me handsome then go to preschool, OK?!"

He also tells me how cute he is:
"I tute huh mom?"

Everyday Evan tells us at least once a day:
"I miss you sooooooo much!"
And throws his arms around us.  It is his way of saying I love you so much.

There are so many more things he says and I can't remember them right now, but I DO need to start writing them down, especially since I will have 2 more to record soon!

I love this little boy!  I couldn't have asked for a better boy, he is sweet, kind, sensitive, caring and such a HAM!

I love every minute with him!

Snow Day!

In January we had a pretty good snow storm.  Schools were closed for a week and the snow seemed to keep coming down!

Of course we took full advantage of snow fun!

This is the second year that Tony tied a sled to his wheelchair and took Evan for a ride down the street....and once again he LOVED it!  Who wouldn't :-)

OOOPS!  Daddy took off a little to fast!

My boy playing in the snow

We LOVE snow days.....as long as they don't last too long! :-)