April Happenings

We got our vegetable starts planted and placed in the greenhouse. TJ was obviously a fan of the part where you throw dirt everywhere.

Tower!

No, he's not being punished; TJ's just playing the "put rubber bands on the doorknob" game.

This poor little dude caught hand-foot-mouth disease. Having to be isolated leads to boredom, which thankfully sometimes leads to creativity. When else might we top a shape puzzle tower with a basketball?

Sick boy is sick.

Easter

We celebrated our first "real" Easter with an egg hunt. The eggs may have been empty, but TJ was perfectly happy just finding them. The best part of the event was that, while waiting for a few minutes while I hid some late eggs in the front yard, he decided that the found eggs needed to be placed in the shed's rain chain. Thus, every egg discovery in the front yard was immediately followed by a run to the back yard for rain chain placement. We were delighted by this unexpected creativity and may have developed a new family tradition!

TJ discovers the joy of peeling foil from eggs.

TJ is generous with his chocolate.

Two! Two eggs! Two pink eggs!

TJ prefers eggs in rain chain cups over eggs in basket.

Rain chain egg collection continues.

TJ ponders how higher cups are going to be filled.

Easter was also the first day that TJ rode his balance bike. We picked it up for him in December, but now he's finally tall enough to start the process of learning. (Videos of his progress coming soon!)

Couchball: Episode 2

TJ expands his couch adventures to include more gymnastics!

Stomp Puddle

Enjoying the small pleasures in life gets easier by the day...

March Highlights

Tower

 

TJ assists with hanging our new living room art.

 

 

"Dearest Mother, please may I request additional time to explore the back porch snow.  I would be ever-so appreciative."

Bite.

Consider.

Approve!

 

Hiding.

 

Feline measurement.

TJ playing "Hit. Ball. Bat." (a.k.a. baseball)

TJ batting.  Carrie catching with official "gub".

 

G-Ma catching for TJ.  ...and yes, the bat is a skillet.  It matches well with the official glove.

 

My birthday dinner capped off a great weekend of March Madness and family time.

Birthday #2

Here are some overdue shots from TJ's second birthday...

The video of our first bowling session captured the spirit well, but I liked this still shot as well.

Julia helps TJ with the gift unwrapping.

Sidney gets some quiet time with our pets.

TJ is fascinated by babies.  We're very optimistic about how he'll be as a big brother.

Stick some candles in front of this kid, and he'll know just what to do.

Sidney creates temporary illustrations as transient celebrations of the day.

BONUS: Europe Pix from Tree

I grabbed these from our friends in Barcelona.  They're great additions to what we took on ourselves during our time with Tree and BK.

TJ teaches BK how to use the iTouch.

Even big kids need a break from walking now and then.

Raminta and Tree celebrate with tapas during our last evening in Barcelona.

TJ and his balloon was by far the most entertaining thing happening in the plaza that evening.

Bye Bye, Barca... onward to France!