Charlie is 2!

My sweet Bubba, also known as Charlie, also known as Chachermonkers, is 2!! Though if you ask him, he'll probably tell you he's three! We had a small party for him the weekend before his birthday, with grandparents, two great-grandparents and my good friend and her kids.

Here is Charlie with the girls - so sweet!!!


Ring Around the Rosie :)


Time for presents!


Charlie got some new books, new trucks and trains, and some outside toys.


It was an Elmo party...again...he loves that little red monster!


Charlie's favorites for lunch: hot dogs, corn on the cob and fruit.


"Happy Birthday to You!"




Taking a break to watch Elmo's World. :)


What can I tell you about 2-year-old Charlie...although his personality is much more exuberant than his sister's (I'm talking higher highs and lower lows), he definitely shares some similarities. For instance, he is a nut for books. He LOVES books. He will happily sit with a pile of books, look at them one at a time and ask for more. And, like Ava, the books must be in a neat, undisturbed pile. He has a pile on one side of him to-be-read, and a pile on the other side of the ones he's finished. Please, please, do NOT mess with his piles!!!
Aside from looking at books and being read to, Charlie loves to be active outside, especially climbing and sliding at the park. We are big park rats and, when the weather's nice, we are at our neighborhood park and often one other park, every day.
This past year he has loved going to drop-in playtime at ECFE, and he truly loves Grandma Jean, the woman who runs our church nursery. It is so nice to leave him there while we're at a service or I'm at my moms' group and know that he is having a blast.
So far, I haven't noticed much in terms of the "terrible twos." He's always been more strong-willed and "whinier" than Ava, but he's not advanced into the temper tantrums as of yet (knock on wood!). He makes us laugh every day. He's talking up a storm, and I've really got to start writing down some of the things that come out of his mouth! (Of course I'm drawing a blank right now). :) He's just so darn cute, and I'm just trying to savor all of the little moments with him at this age, because, like my new favorite parenting quote goes: "The days are long, but the years are short." (Can someone please remind me of this when he's hanging on my leg whining while I try to make dinner?!) :)
Anyway, happy birthday to our favorite little guy - we love you!!!

Ava's First Dance Recital

Ava has been taking a tap/ballet class all year (September through May). She goes every Monday afternoon at Woodbury Dance Center. Though it seemed to me that her feelings toward dance were sort of lukewarm - she was always ready to go when the time came around and had fun in class, but she was never excited about it and wasn't sure she wanted to sign up for next year. But, I have to say, after performing at the recital, she was positively glowing and certain that she wants to do it again in the fall! It was so fun to see her and her class (12 other five- to six-year-olds) up on the stage after all of the work they put into learning the steps to their two dances. They did "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" for the tap number and "Someday My Prince Will Come" for the ballet number. Oma, Opa, Grandma and Grandpa came to watch, along with Joe and me. My lovely friend, Hilde, took care of Charlie, so we could watch the recital in peace! :)

Here is Ava outside of East Ridge High School, before the recital.


Backstage before her performance.


So happy afterwards, with flowers from Grandma & Oma!!

Minnesota Zoo

Since Charlie will be two this summer and his endurance for big outings like this is increasing, we decided it would be worthwhile to get a membership to the zoo. With the playgrounds and water feature, I'm sure we'll go often this summer.

We started our Memorial Day weekend off here on Saturday morning:




There's a Dr. Seuss theme going on this summer; here's Ava with one of her favorite characters!




Brushing the goats


Though his endurance is increasing, Charlie still reached the end of his rope by lunch time and fell asleep on the way home, where I was able to, thankfully, transfer him into his crib for a nice, long nap! :)

The Three Musketeers

...and their little tag-along. :)

Easter 2011

We did most of our Easter celebration this year on Saturday thanks to my work schedule. :)

We started out at Oma and Opa's in the morning...






Then we went over to Grandma and Grandpa's, where we played, napped and had a big dinner with both sides of the family. Oh, and Ava ended the day by leading a dance party to her favorite Kids Bop songs! :)


I was able to go into work a little later than usual on Sunday, so I got to see the kids wake up and find their Easter baskets and eggs.


The HUGE mountain of candy that we accumulated, which I was sure would last til Halloween, was gone within a week...strange how that happened, since the kids only had a couple of pieces per day...hmmmm...

MOA

We had a free Saturday a couple of weeks ago, so we took the kids to Nickelodeon Universe at MOA. Ava is getting more and more daring on the rides - she went on the roller coaster with Joe this time & she still loves that terrifying log ride, which you will NEVER catch me on! Charlie loved the rides, too.

Here we are on the "big rigs:"


Ava waiting for the swings to start


Blue's Clues


The Swiper Sweeper bus, or whatever they call it


And, a ride for all ages...




Ava - still going strong on the way home...


Charlie...not so much!

February 15

I decided to take a bunch of random pictures of the little moments that make up our day, and this is what I ended up with!

Who wouldn't want to wake up to this face?! This is our routine - Charlie wakes up, and I blearily retrieve him from his crib and bring him to our bed to snuggle and read before we officially get up.


Then Ava joins us (she always gets dressed before she comes out of her room!) This morning, she brought along her diary (a new gift from Valentine's Day, so you'll see it a couple of times in this post).


What do you know? Back in bed after breakfast (at least it's made this time). This is where they hang out while I shower & get ready for the day.


Okay, apparently things took a turn for the worse...I don't remember what caused this particular display, but mostly I see this face when he wants me to pick him up, and I don't. :)


Checking out Ava's dollhouse & enjoying his nuk, which he's allowed to have when we're upstairs, and believe me, he takes full advantage. (It should be lots of fun when we limit it to his crib in a few months...)


Ava at her desk with that diary again (so far she's read me everything that she's written in it - if only this stage could last forever...)


Evening play date!


Bath time shenanigans


Just about time to tuck these guys in - what a life, huh?