Florida

Jason and I enjoyed a week in beautiful Florida. We loved the sunshine, exercising, studying (Jason), watching the Royal Wedding, meeting ophthalmologists, and spending time with family and friends. Jason found a specific kind of palm tree he just loves so I took a picture of it just in case we ever live in an area where we could plant one. We also went to an alligator and snake farm. Not a fan of either but I'm glad I was able to see them in person. We were also able to meet up with Eric and Amy and their family in Miami. Jason and Eric were both born at a hospital there and were able to re-visit it with their mom Sally. It was a special time for the three of them. So thankful for our time in the Sunshine State and we can't wait to go back :)

Aussie Cutie

One of Jackson's favorite people is Theresa. She's from Australia and for over a year now she's been a special part of our family. Her sister Lupe sent this cute outfit to Jackson. Thanks Mahina family for all of your love!

Niabi Zoo Take Two

I took Jackson and Kate to Niabi Zoo in April by myself. Boy, what an adventure. Jackson loved the zoo more this time because he recognized many of the animals from the books we read. But, his increased curiosity also made it a bit of challenge to keep up with him along with pushing Kate in her stroller. Needless to say, it was chaotic. However, Jackson's kangaroo backpack that conveniently has a little leash attached for me to hold onto was a lifesaver. Jackson's favorite parts of the zoo were the ducks, acting like a kangaroo, the choo-choo train, and mommy's water bottle. He loved feeding the ducks (and trying a little of the food himself), chasing after the ducks (and then getting scared when they came after him), and attempting to feed the goat (then immediately having second thoughts when the goat tried to bite him). A great day for all of us and a good growth experience for me as a mom.

Kate at 3.5 months

Kate is an angel baby. Here are some fun facts about our little girl:

* She just rolled over for the first time
* She sleeps through the night (miracle! Jackson didn't do this until he was 15 months old)
* She LOVES to eat.
* She loves to stare at herself in her "moo mirror"
* She loves to coo and smile
* She loves to pretend to go a bicycle ride
* She's very alert and follows you when you move around
* She's calm

Kate is such a special part of our family. I'm so grateful for her sweet spirit and the peace she brings into our home.

Jackson at 19.5 months

Some fun facts about Jackson at nearly 20 months old:
* He can count to 10.
* He loves his baby sister Kate whom he affectionately calls "beh-bee" or "kaye"
* He loves to kiss his baby sister (leans down and kisses the air by her)
* He loves to pick flowers...aka yellow dandelions.
* He loves to help mom clean the house: vacuum, unload the dishwasher, get the laundry in or out of washer/dryer
* He loves to play the piano. He insists we listen to his compositions (which now include lyrics) on a daily basis
* He loves to read. Favorite books include: I Am a Child of God, 10 Little Lady Bugs, 8 Silly Monkeys, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar
* He loves to eat.
* He loves to do anything with Dad-dy.
* He likes to comb his own hair and brush his teeth.
* He's a prankster: turning of mommy's computer, taking Kate's pacifier, and dodging his diaper changes.
* He loves to play will any kind of a ball: basketball, bouncy balls, baseballs, soccer balls. As long as they're round, he's in love.
* He likes to talk (and talk and talk). He says lots of phrases like: "where is he?", "where did it go?", "eww yucky"
* He's starting to get time on the big-boy toilet. He likes to sit on it, then rip off the toilet paper, flush the toilet and close the lid. Now if he would just do what he's supposed to on the toilet, we'd be good to go.
* He loves to give hugs and kisses.
* He loves to be outside. He'd be outside all day, every day if he had it his way.
* He's loves to swim, go biking, and play baseball.

Jackson's a lot of fun to be around. We sure love him and the wonderful little boy he is!

My kids love to eat

There's no doubt my kids love to eat. Just a few fun pictures of Jackson stuffing his cute face with chili, his first cookie, and shoveling in mac and cheese. Kate's equally a good eater. Anyone who has ever fed her knows she starts crying if you remove the bottle before she has consumed every drop.

Jackson's thumb

In an effort to get both kids into the car before Jackson could unlock the outside door and head down the street, I failed to realize that he was holding onto the door to help him get down the stairs. So, as I was closing the door trying to get ahead of him to lock the outside door, I heard a crunch. Yes, it was Jackson's thumb and I was horrified when I realized what had happened. X-rays suggest he hasn't broken it but the doctors say you can't really always tell with a child so they put his thumb in a splint for a few days. I felt so bad and haven't been able to get that awful crunch sound out of my mind since then.