Douglas is now 3!

So yesterday was what I would consider the first birthday and Halloween where Douglas was really aware of it coming and it happening. He was quite excited to be dressed up as Super Why and quite excited to have his friends coming over. The morning started with this conversation:

Dougie (walking down the stairs): Mom?
Me: Good Morning!
Dougie (in sleepy monotone): hi
Me: Do you know what day it is?
Dougie: What?
Me: It's your birthday!
Dougie (now at the bottom of the stairs): Really? (Pause) I did it! I slept and I woke up and now its my birthday!

It was a great day and I want to thank everyone who was involved in it. Douglas had a great time at every place he was at.

Here are some pictures of the fun that was had.

We made it!!

I am writing this from the comfort of my new kitchen while Samantha coos next to me in the high chair.  It has been a busy August, but we made it! We moved into our new house, Adam survived being the stay at home Dad with both kids for a month and returned to work and we have a closing date for our old house! Fingers crossed, but as of this Saturday we will have managed to own 2 houses at the same time for only one month. I will be glad when that is done, but I do have many fond memories of our old house. It was a cute little thing and was a great home for Adam and Dougie and I!

Front of our new home

Eating pancakes in our new kitchen

Sammi Lou's first meal of oatmeal

Before the food hit her tongue she was amused.

After the food hit her tongue she decided she preferred her thumb.

Eating on our back deck (yes, the kids are wrapped in blankets).

Our cute little thumb-sucker!

This is how Dougie cuts a cucumber, by stabbing it with a butter knife.

A classic breakfast scene - Dougie making Sammi laugh.

Dougie loves to climb in the crib with Sammi.

No, we didn't fall off the edge of the world

  It sure has been a busy spring/summer. As of the last writing we were still awaiting the arrival of Baby Girl or Little Bee as I had been affectionately calling her. We were starting to pack up to move to my parents so we could sell our house and prepping the Pixley Road house to go on the market.

  Well, Little bee has arrived and is now known as Samantha Louise. We moved in with my parents at the end of April and our house went on the market in May. It is different living with your parents when you have kids, though Mom and Dad have gamely pitched in when needed and been an extra set of hands. Our house is still on the market...so if you readers know of anyone who is looking for a super cute house, this one is still available and ready for the taking. (Seriously, here's the link: 1120 Pixley Road.)

  It has been nice though that Adam and I have both been able to be home for most of my maternity leave. It is sadly ending today (I return to work tomorrow) but Adam will still be with the kids for the rest of August before he returns to work as well. I know that it will be a huge adjustment for Douglas when that happens. I had forgotten how summers must seem to a kid - like a whole new world that will never end - and he has loved playing baseball and trains and bikes and generally running around with Adam. But, we aren't at that point yet and I choose to not think about that right now.

Here are a few pictures to illustrate what we have been up to while we have been absent from here.

Enjoy!

Samantha Louise born May 6

First meeting for Douglas

Auntie Lizzie and Poppi

The cousins in Uncle Jared and Aunt Nikkis wedding

Too cute for words!

Dougie rubbing Sammie's back as she sleeps

Mowing the lawn like Daddy

What is Dougie doing?

Cousins on vacation

Douglas wanting to go fishing

Making sandcastles with Nanna

Playing with Petra in Sammie's bed

At the Adirondack Museum on its big train

Adam and Douglas on a sled at the museum

Douglas was the photographer

Little Cutie pie sleeping

Sleeping at the beach

Making sandcastles with Daddy 

Playing with his cousins boogie board

Yes, it is March

Yes, it is March and I do realize that my last post was from November. Needless to say, this blog has not been at the top of my priorities list. In no special order, let me sum up what has been at the top of the list.

1) Being pregnant with baby number 2, while trying to chase a toddler around.
2) Deciding when and how to sell our very small house to make room for this new baby number 2, while trying to chase a toddler around.
3) Dealing with winter in a small house, while trying to chase a toddler around.
4) Starting to pack up the house to put our 'sell the house first, then buy and have baby number 2' plan into action, while trying to chase a toddler around.
5) Being pregnant, while trying to chase a toddler around.

So, if you haven't caught the news, we are having a second baby, and this time it will be a girl. So that has been fun trying to contemplate and explain to Douglas. His initial reaction was 'No baby! No Sister!' And that stayed constant for quite awhile. Now, he seems to realize that my lap has diminished in size so he now tries to use my belly as a pillow, while periodically yelling into 'hello!' directly into it. At least she is getting a close-up listen to her big brother's voice. 

We are also planning on putting our house on the market and trying to get one that is a little bit bigger. There just won't be room enough for the 4 enough in our apartment sized, two bedroom when she finally gets here. It will be very interesting to see how it all works out, but here we go!

Now, here are some pictures showing what we have all been up to. Enjoy!

Making Irvine Cranberry Salad

An awesome Christmas Sweater!

Christmas 2012

Dad and Dougie drinking tea

Boys and their technology

I am a Pirate!

College Girls Weekend!