Spring Break Zoo Trip

Although it was a cold Spring Break, the kids still had lots of fun! We played and ate at Chik-fa-la on Monday and enjoyed the indoor bounce house. On Tuesday, Melissa and Aaron Cook came over for a while to join in on the bounce house fun. Wednesday- Reese and Raygan-Elise visited with Hammie for a bit, while Poppa and I ran errands. Then, they were pretty good while we went to two home stores. Thursday-Reese went to play at Titus's house for the day, while Stacey and I took the girls to the Collierville Antique Mall (yes, we are very brave!). Friday- Zoo! Saturday and Sunday we rested and played around the house!

Friday was our Zoo day. We met Mary Ann, her parents, and her children, Enoch and Sarah. The zoo was packed! The weather had been so cold all week and then with weather.com calling for thunderstorms Saturday, everyone had the same idea! It was a beautiful day and the animals were enjoying it. The bears were play fighting, and one of the Polar Bears was jumping off the rocks into the water! Reese's favorite spot is the new bear and wolves area- Teton Trek- because he loves the wolves. By the time we made it to the wolves, they were asleep. :( Reese got camera happy this trip and wanted to grab the camera and take pictures of all the animals. He also kept saying, "Take a picture of me here." "Oh, Mom, you always want to take a picture of me in the _____." Raygan-Elise was wonderful!!!!!! At the moment, our whole family is loving her on a dairy free diet...but again we will have to wait and see if it continues. She even walked with Mary Ann's parents and let Enoch and Sarah touch her! She still loves ducks! She found 2 sleeping in a corner by the fence and chased them until they flew away! She enjoyed the animals and especially lunch (pizza with cheese removed) and her strawberry Popsicle! Reese of course needed a wolf stuffed animals. I'm amazed with how much he still loves his stuffed animals-both collecting and honestly he really plays with them often. Although sometimes, he makes up games where he's throwing them. But we'll walk in and he's decorated the room with them or made a scavenger hunt with them. She was asleep before we even left the parking lot, while Reese went straight into playing his DS, with his new wolf in arm (he named him Teton). And when Brian got home from work, we went to eat Mexican! Sad our fun week must come to an end!!!

How are the kids?

Reese is growing up and starting to use a larger vocabulary each day! I keep thinking I need to write a list of the words he uses during regular conversation. I am going to do that this next month! It is hilarious! He is playing soccer games now and has started baseball practice. He made 2 goals at a soccer game (the only game ever that Brian and I both weren't in attendance! UGH)! He is on the Cardinals through Snowden for Baseball this year. He is very excited. He has a great stance when at bat and when he makes contact he hit great. But sometimes get too nervous I think. I so remember that feeling of everyone watching you! And I pulled his other front tooth so he got $2 from the tooth fairy. He has told many people that his mom likes to pull teeth!! I do, I do!! He really is enjoying reading the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. I haven't read them and think maybe I should! But he's very excited that the movie is coming out this weekend. I would say his good friend at school is Titus, and he got to go to his house over spring break which thrilled him. He said they ate, watched TV, and played games! Poppa and him caught a turtle a few weeks ago and he saved it for many days. Then was so sad to let it go. He wanted to make a "home" for it outside so he could go back and visit. A friend wasn't very nice and tossed it too deep into the water while they were outside playing! It broke his heart (and mine and Brian's seeing him so upset). He has a sweet heart! He is very scattered like me sometimes and can walk right by something but then ask where it is!! He is still making all A's in school and soon I will be having to choose his 3rd grade teacher! YIKES! 3rd Grade!!!

Raygan-Elise is starting to talk more and more each day! She has learned so many new words! She is still getting speech once a week but I think soon we will probably go onto just maintenance and/or where they check in on her from time to time. I feel they will wait until she turns 2 to decide to see if she is "where she should be". She has had 2 more ear infections in the last post (one with yeast in culture). The practitioner put her back on daily zyrtec and singular but she still had another infection and nose running the week after that (we are still taking it though). We saw the real ENT (not just nurse practitioner) and he was leaning toward more surgery but wanted to see if it possibly was dairy allergy. She has had what I think is eczema for a while. So we are on dairy and egg free diet till March 30th! and it may be coincidence but her nose has quit running and in general her irritability is better!!! She still has such a strong personality with what we call- a little bit of evil. Last night she decided it would be fun to tease dogs with food from the highchair and then eat it! How does a 22 month old come up with this? I must say I didn't stop her immediately b/c I recorded some of it on my phone. She likes to be so independent! She loves spoons, balls, her soothie (pacifier), Mimmie(minnie) and of course bows and shoes! She loves water (even showers!) and will take a large cup and dump it all over her face in the bathtub! She still eats more than I've ever seen a little person eat! She also likes to sit on her potty even though she doesn't like potty-ing on it. When she feels she must go, she either stands and goes on floor (even #2'd on floor once) or goes and gets a diaper! She isn't afraid of anything and is rough and tough! We got the bounce house out this week and she loved it! She would throw herself all over it! She loves her Reese and has started copying everything we do! If he does it, she tries to do it! And it happened- she wrote all over the wall and the door this week with a green coloring pencil! Newest words- eeth (teeth), loves saying uh uh (no), eese (Reese)

Facebook Status comments!

Everyone on facebook comes up with such cute and witty ways to word their status comments...usually mine are pretty blah! But I do find it a fun and quick way to share with friends what's going on in our little world. But sometimes I do have a moment. And I must say this was my best one which I can tell by all the comments I had about it and it is based on a TRUE STORY!!

Top Facebook Status Award Winner of the Month by April:
Attention all Target shoppers: I apologize for your shopping experience today. The lady in the green shirt is April and the adorable girl laying down in the basket kicking and screaming is Raygan-Elise. They have now left the store and you may continue on with your Friday afternoon shopping. **Target is not responsible for any distractions or headaches received during shopping.

Honorable Mentions:
pizza hut again!! Reese is upstairs eating. Brian is eating watching basketball. I'm eating mine in living room with Raygan-Elise who isn't eating yet because she's throwing a fit because she can't eat her pizza with a spoon.

is so proud of Reese and his scrabble team member, Jacob, for placing 5th in the Spotlight Scrabble Tournament today! He was so excited!

just learned Raygan-Elise may not need speech any more because apparently Brian asked her if she was ready for a bath and she responded, "Yes and I want my mommy to give me the bath!" Wow! However, Brian was the only person to witness this breakthrough! ; )
on!

guess I should be happy Raygan-Elise loves Maples & threw a huge fit bc she didn't want to leave today but it makes me sad! Now onto Reese's 1st soccer practice.

just left a store where Reese announced, "this stuff is like so 1996!" so I asked what that means. He responded, "you know. like so 14 yrs ago!"