Finally Some Sunshine!!!

The last week in Connecticut has been miserable. It has felt like we were going through a monsoon season as it was raining every day. Today, was finally nice, warm, and sunny!

About a month ago, we bought the kids a sandbox to put on our deck. So while Ben was preparing dinner tonight, I let the kids out on the deck to play in the sandbox. As soon as I took off the cover they both climbed right in. I think Olivia could sit there for hours playing. Alex enjoys the sandbox as well, except instead of playing with the toys, he throws the sand up in the air, or he tries to eat it! Boys will be boys!!!

Once Ben was done putting dinner together, we all ate together outside for the first time this summer (with the exception of a little party we had a couple weeks ago with Ben's coworkers).

Dudley is also a fan of the sandbox. Now that we have a gate on our deck, we often let Dudley out on the deck so he can have some time to himself with out little toddlers chasing after him!! He apparently is also a big fan of the sandbox!

Shoe Fettish

For the last several months, Olivia has developed a love for shoes. She always points to her shoes if they are not on her feet. She will come over to us and take our slippers off if she can get to them. When we are getting ready to leave the house, she will pick up our shoes from the front door and bring them to us where ever we are in the house.

Every day I wear my flip flops into work (and change into heels when I get to my office), and every morning when it is time to leave Olivia gets my flip flops for me and brings them to me to put on. One morning last week, I decided I was going to wear my boots instead because it was raining. I put on my boots, and Olivia still brought me my flip flops. I told her I didn't need them, and put them off to the side. She gave them to me two more times before I finally kicked them to the side and carried her out of the house. Then the next morning came and I needed the flip flops, but Olivia didn't bring them to me. She must have thought, "mommy didn't want them yesterday, I am not bringing them to her today!".

This past weekend, the love for shoes went one step further. Now she likes to put our shoes on! She started with my crocs this weekend. I found her trying to figure out how to get her feet in them. Ben helped her a little bit, and then she was trying to figure out how to walk in them!

Then she got Ben's flip flops and put those on, and tried to figure out how to walk in them.


And then tonight, we found her trying to figure out how to put her shoes on by herself! It was so cute! She couldn't figure out how to reach her foot with her hands. She kept trying to contort her leg in all different directions, but didn't realize she could just bend her leg. She got very frustrated when she couldn't figure it out. I tried to get a video but she turned to face the other way.

Gotta Start Somewhere!

A couple of weekends ago, Ben started feeding the kids yogurt for their snack. However, every time the spoon came to their mouth they would grab on to it, and were not very happy to give it back to Ben.

I suggested that we let them try to use the spoon themselves. I think Ben thought I was crazy, but I figured they have to learn eventually and they have to start somewhere. We split the yogurt into two separate bowls and gave them each a spoon. The result wasn't pretty. In fact, for two people who don't enjoy getting dirty, it was down right painful to watch!


Olivia seem to get the concept down, but wasn't too good with it. Alex, on the other hand, held the spoon, and tried to eat the yogurt with his hand rather than the spoon. But some how, Olivia was much more messy. Perhaps it was because she was getting more to her mouth by using the spoon rather than Alex's method of picking up yogurt with his fingers!

Summer is Here!!!

A few weeks ago, Ben and I went out to buy the kids some toys that they could play with outside. We want to get them outside as much as possible when the weather is nice. We got them a sandbox with some toys for the sandbox, and we got them a little toy they could ride on. The "ride on" toy could be used inside but we figured we have enough inside so outside it would stay.

Last weekend the weather was really nice so we went for a walk in the wagon. Then we brought out the new ride on toy for them both to play with (perhaps we need 2?!). Alex got on it first, and played a little bit, mainly moving it backwards. Then Olivia got on it, and Alex got behind her and pushed her up and down the drive way! It was so cute, and they both had so much fun!!!



Also a couple of weeks ago we started taking the kids to swimming lessons on Saturday mornings at our local YMCA. There is about 10 kids in the class with the parents, ranging in age from 6 months to 3 years old. They do lots of singing and games to help the kids get comfortable being in the water.

Olivia took to the water right away. As Ben puts it, she doesn't have the patience to hold onto noodles or kick boards...she would prefer if she could just swim on her own! Alex was completely the opposite. He didn't like it the first time. He cried a lot, but eventually as long as he was clutching me, he was okay. This made laying him on his belly and back difficult. Yesterday was the second class, and Alex did much better. He is still not 100% comfortable but he barely cried, and even tolerated being on his back and his belly!

Here's Olivia ready to go swimming.....

Now we just need Ben to finish with school, and then it is vacation time!

Day care was all that was needed!

Last weekend Alex started taking a lot of steps, but wasn't comfortable in all the rooms of the house. Then he went to day care on Monday and when he came home he was walking every where!!


He was walking all over the house, and there were so many things new to him that he didn't know where to go with his new found skill. He was literally walking in circles! He would start walking toward something and just as he approached whatever he was walking to, he would turn in a completely different directions!

Now he loves to chase Dudley and Olivia. It is quite entertaining, and there is never a dull moment at our house.

Trouble is Brewing

After watching Olivia for the last 4 months, Alex has finally joined the ranks of fellow walkers! He took a few steps on his own about a month ago but the steps were really hit and miss. He didn't do it daily and we were lucky if he took a handful in a week.

Last night he took a ton of steps and since then he has not stopped trying to walk! He is so excited to do it and he is so proud of himself every time he does it!



Now that he is taking steps, he wants to do it all the time! You can tell that he really doesn't want to crawl anywhere any more, but he can't stand up with out holding on to something. So when he is not near anything to help pull himself up, he gets up on his knees and tries to walk on his knees instead of crawling. It is so cute!

His walking is much different from when Olivia started walking. Olivia would only walk straight, Alex knows how to turn. Olivia didn't realize her knees could bend, and Alex bends his knees. I think he will be running in no time! We are in trouble!