Making Cookies

I'm just realizing the 26th must have been a long day!  The kids and I made shortbread cookies - nice, three ingredient recipe and no eggs, so I don't have to worry about anyone eating the dough, which is pretty much what A & B did to the dough I gave them to mold.  Here's some pix of them icing their cookies.

Hair Salon/Barber Shop

P used detangler to spike up B's hair

Ashlyn actually let me fix her hair - a rarity

This is what I get when I ask for a smile...

We love our blankies!

Ashlyn and Braden love to drag around blankets, put them over their heads and play peek-a-boo, and if a blanket is laying (lying?) on the floor they run and lay down on it.  All three kiddos ended up on one blanket.  Of course I didn't get the camera in time!

Monkey Joe's

I took the kids to Monkey Joe's for the first time since Ashlyn and Braden have been out of their pumpkin seats.  Ashlyn didn't want any party of bouncing.  She instead chose to wander all over the place.  Braden liked it for about a minute but then was done.  He also loved to wander.  He found a nice cord to play with and figured out how to take off the child-proof outlet protector.  Peyton had a blast. She can actually go on most of the inflatables by herself now.  So, that left me to chase after the toddlers.  I'm glad I wore tennis shoes.

"Painting"

Here's the only paint I have let A & B play with so far...they have fun but B still prefers to eat the water off the brush.

Goofy Kids

Ashlyn and Braden, Braden in particular, love to stand on their heads.  I haven't figured out why, but all of a sudden they'll lean over and balance on their head and grin.  I also haven't been able to get a picture of it.  So, Peyton reenacted it for me.

Trip to the Magic House

Picnic in the backyard

We were having fun playing in the backyard on a beautiful afternoon and decided to have lunch out there.  Here's a picture from Ashlyn and Braden's first time eating at a picnic table.

He's just sayin...

Don't mind the water all over it, practicing with an open cup.

A day at the beach

 

We have been thoroughly enjoying this break in the weather and ventured up to Creve Coeur Park to walk around the lake, something I haven't done in months.  I convinced Peyton to do this after promising that we would go to the playground afterwards.  We walked for a bit and stopped to rest.  Ashlyn and Braden immediately got antsy and although it was making me anxious I decided to let both of them walk around at the same time.  Braden did try to get in the water several times but eventually settled into finding sticks.  All three of them had fun and P thought it was cool that she got sand in her shoes.  We didn't even end up going to the playground. Peyton was excited to tell her daddy that she went to the beach that day.

Ashlyn and Braden are 15 Months Old!

If had forgotten what a fun age this is.  They are so happy and interested in everything.  It is also interesting to see the dynamic between siblings, it is much different than Peyton and her friends when she was that age.  Ashlyn and Braden really enjoy playing with each other and Peyton.  They chase each other around the house, belly laughing the whole time.  They also fight with each other to get to their favorite toys or my lap!  It's pretty humorous, one will be on their way and the other will be doing something totally unrelated but, once they see the other one, they drop everything and try to race.  The love to get in and out of the toy cars, push each other around and share pacifiers.  As much as they love my attention, they are able to entertain themselves very well.  Latest obsession - putting things away, which means that I am losing household items very often. They both still have very good appetites and I pretty much have to just stop feeding them.  They love to eat!  I'm looking forward to the coming months and hearing what they have to say.

I had fun taking pictures today, so here are the rest...

Make a slideshow design

Ashlyn is 15 months old!

these pictures are getting harder and harder

Ashlyn has had a big few months.  She is now a full blown walker!  She got both of her molars in, one right after the other.  She loves to blow raspberries (still), yell DA DA DA, says mom mom mom and can now repeat some words, mainly "dog" (she says "daw).  Our speech path neighbor just got her to say bubble.   She also loves to play in the play house outside and on the slide and giving her brother kissies.  She loves to sleep and sleeps almost 12 hour at night and over 3 hours during the day.  She is getting tougher and is starting to shove Braden out of the way.  Yes, we are saying "nice hands" a lot these days.

Braden is 15 Months Old!

A lot has happened in the past three months!  Braden understands everything we say and follows directions very well.  He even knows to go get his shoes and sit on the fireplace when I say we're going bye-bye.  He is starting to communicate a little more.  He waves bye-bye, repeats a few things such as "ruff ruff" (when we're talking about dogs), says ""mom mom" signs "more" and says "vroom vroom" when he is playing with his toy cars.  He loves buckles and tries to put his shoes on, buckle himself in his car seat and tries to help me with Ashlyn's booster seat buckles.  In our picture books he can point to a dog.  It's also been helpful that when I say that it's time for bed, if he is really ready he walks himself down the hall and stands next to his crib.  He also got his first molar in FINALLY.  Poor guy, his gums were swollen for so long.  He even went on his first hunger strike for four days while he was waiting for that thing.  His most recent accomplishment is that he can go down the stairs by himself.  This is something that I have been negligent in teaching as I am always nervous bringing all three down by myself, but he just decided one day that he wanted to do it. He loves to play with his cars, the vacuum, broom and loves to kiss his sisters.

Peyton's First Boat Ride

Our neighbors went out on their boat one day and were nice enough to invite Peyton along.  She had a blast, especially since she goes to school with their kids.

Dinner theater

Entertainment for Ashlyn and Braden's mealtime was provided by Peyton Marie, performing an original song.