Mommy, Daddy, Big Brother Date Night

   It was a pretty last minute decision but we took Big Brother to the movies to see The Muppets Most Wanted. He was pretty excited and did well with the movie even though it was a pretty late showing for a 3 year old. He worked on his snack box and drank his blue icy. When the movie was done he wanted me to take his picture with some of the stand ups in the hallway. He got a little cranky at the end but it was a fun little date night for the three of us while Froggie stayed with my mom.

Holding our tickets

One of the Most Wanted

Captain America

Posing with Toothless

Friday Lunch Date

     After work I typically head home with the kids so they can nap. Today, however, we decided to go visit with Hubby so he and I could get some lunch while the kids (who had already eaten) had some snacks. So we headed to Hubby's office to pick him up and then went across the street to Panera, which was delicious! The kids had a blast with their fruit cups, Froggie even tried to drink her fruit!

Froggie tried to keep me from going to work with the big kids.

Froggie with her Fruit.

     After we were done eating we returned Hubby to his office to finish working and headed to Target, since it's my favorite store and we were nearby. We didn't really need anything but I picked up a few things for Easter baskets, a care package and some toys for the kids just because. They were pretty well behaved until it was time to go and they started getting cranky. They really liked sitting side by side in the cart!

The kids in the monster cart at Target

Froggie giving her new fish "kisses". 

Sibling Side By Side

Ok everyone, I need some help! Hubby and I are having a disagreement about whether the kids look alike. He says not at all and I say yes. I blame my sister and her fiancé for this since they're the ones that said they do. I pulled a picture out of Big Brother when he was the same age as Froggie is now, what do you think?

Big Brother (1 year)                     Froggie (1 year)

Brotherly Love

     In a moment of love (and a rare act of unforced kindness) Big Brother decided to help Froggie get out of her winter gear this morning. I guess I shouldn't imply that all of his kindness towards Froggie is forced, it's not. However, a lot of the time he goes a little over board and makes her angry. I suppose I should say that today was an unprompted act of kindness.

Helping with gloves

And now the other side

he was very gentle about helping her, I think she was confused.

Big Brother's New Adventure

     This morning, despite my not feeling well, we ventured out to The Y so that Big Brother could start a tumbling class. Froggie tagged along and was well behaved, she even snuggled with the girls in the babysitting area for a little while.
     Big Brother did a great job with all of the activities. For the most part he waited his turn but struggled not to come back through the course! I think he'll have a lot of fun over the next few weeks and hopefully come away with some friendships.

Following the course

Walking on the beam

Summersault 

After class

Shopping Fun

     After nap I decided to pack the kids up and head out to the store since I wanted to get out of the house and was looking for yarn for a project I'm thinking about. Big Brother had still been awake when I drove through Starbucks to pick up some coffee and a sandwich and asked for "ice cream in a cup with a straw" (a frappucino). I had told him maybe later and only if he took his nap since he's to the point of occasionally refusing them. 

     Well he slept well and since I'd been thinking about going to the craft store I figured we would make a pit stop at Target and pick up his vanilla bean frappucino. Froggie had fallen asleep on the way there so this is how we shopped! I had forgotten my Ergo otherwise there wouldn't have been any dilemma as to where Froggie would go. The set up worked surprisingly well, the kids each got a little toy, valentines, and the clearance deals on lunch boxes and accessories were so good I got myself a new lunchbox.

Big Brother Fun Day!

     Today we decided to give Big Brother an afternoon out with Hubby and I. Froggie stayed home with my mom while the three of us went to see his very first movie in the theater; Frozen! We got there a little early, waited in line for our snacks (Big Brother wanted popcorn AND Skittles to go with his fruit punch) and then found our seats. We tried out the seat by itself but Big Brother was just a little too short to see all of the screen so Hubby took him out to use the potty once more before the movie started and they picked up a fancy booster seat on the way back. 

Waiting for the movie to start

He made it through the WHOLE movie

     After the movie we sat and waited for the credits to finish (if you haven't seen Frozen or if you're going to see it again stay, there's something after they finish rolling the credits!) and he got a little antsy at this point but he sat pretty still and was especially quiet (for a 3 year old) during the whole movie. He ate all of his Skittles (which were rationed out over the course of the movie) and most of his popcorn. After the movie we tracked down the Olaf display so that Big Brother could take his picture with it. He was pretty excited to play the ukelele too.

Big Brother and Olaf

Playing the ukelele

All of us with Olaf!

     After the movie Big Brother was pretty tired and a little grumpy but apologized for crawling on the floor and not being an especially good listener and asked to go to the book store. Who can honestly say no to a 3 year old who requests a trip to the book store? Hubby and I thought about whether we should take him or not since he was getting pretty tired and tends to act up the more exhausted he is. Because of his sincere apology and the fact that he doesn't get a lot of one on one time with both of us we took him. He got to pick out a book and chose Rescue Mater (a Cars book, go figure). We got Froggie a Frozen book and Hubby and I both picked up books for ourselves as well.

     We came home to a sleeping Froggie and tucked Big Brother into his bed for a late nap. Froggie woke up with bright red cheeks and was pretty clingy. She has slept most of the evening, has been pretty drolly and seems to have a low grade fever; a dose of ibuprofen put an end to the fever (for now) and the redness since it was a result of the fever. Hopefully the sleep and snuggling will fix the rest! She even got carried around in a sling for awhile because I wanted my hands back!

snuggly Froggie

Happy to be snuggling in her sling

Sleeping snuggled up to mommy

Happy Birthday Big Brother!

     Today was Big Brother's 3rd birthday! I can't believe he's already 3! I swear it wasn't that long ago that Hubby and I went to the hospital bright and early so that I could be induced and we could welcome our little boy that afternoon…
     Well, this morning he woke up to a pretty special day. He found that Zippy had shown up as requested, and he decorated the recliner!

Our decorated recliner

Zippy came back

A picture with Zippy

     After that find he found a present on the kitchen table. A brand new Lightening Mcqueen hat! This gift came in handy today since we didn't get out of single digit temperatures for long. He was really excited about his hat until I asked him to model it for me but I was able to get a few pictures of him wearing it before we left the house.

A special gift

Opening his gift

What is it?

A Lightening hat!

Birthday boy

check out that hat!

      Unfortunately Big Brother will probably always return to school from Christmas break either on his birthday or shortly after and day care/preschool is no different. This, however, also means that he is able to have a "birthday party" at school. Today we took in cookies and his friends sang to him at snack time. THEN, since one of my co-workers is leaving we had a joint birthday and farewell party at lunch with cake and more singing.

excited for singing and cookies

making a wish?

blowing out candles

Mmmm tasty cookie

And the cake!

Pretty excited about it

Birthday boy and the cake!

     Big Brother napped at school today though he normally comes home with me in the afternoon and naps here. I made the choice so that I could socialize with some of my co-workers, have some lunch and meet up with Hubby for coffee before we parted ways to collect children or take them home. Froggie and I headed home and waited for the boys to show up. When they got home we asked Big Brother what his favorite food was (he answered fruit) and then gave him a list of meats to choose from (he decided on shrimp) so we could decide where to take him for his birthday dinner.
     We waited for my mom to get out of work and she gave him a gift (2 planes from Disney's Planes) and we headed to Cracker Barrel (the only place I know with a shrimp kids meal). I should have taken a picture but it slipped my mind - oops! Big Brother didn't eat much, though he normally picks at his food. Froggie, on the other hand, ate an entire sweet potato and a bowl of mac and cheese and probably would have eaten more!
     After dinner we headed home, read a bed time story and sent Big Brother to bed. Tomorrow afternoon we're celebrating with family and friends.

November Challenge: Days 1 & 2

     I've seen the challenge circulate on various social media sites; for every day of the month of November post something that you are Thankful for. I thought I'd take the challenge to the blog. So each day or so I will post something that I'm thankful for as well as my reasoning. Since it is now the 2nd of the month I'll post 2 things today.
     Day 1 and 2, I am thankful for my Son and my Daughter!

     Big Brother and Froggie have been two of the biggest blessings in my life. Though they may be temporarily frustrating they never cease to remind me of how valuable family is and our time together. I love to spend time with them and watch as they grow.