Boys' Check-ups & Purple Cow Part III

Right before spring break I received a jury duty summons, and yesterday I went to the courthouse for orientation. My service time is May - August. Lane had the day off so he was able to watch A & C yesterday, but I'm already worried about what I'll do with the kids if I call in and find out that I have to report for duty that week. The bailiff did tell us that these cases often settle outside of court, so I'm hopeful that will be true this summer.

the courthouse

From this window you can see the building where Lane and I used to work (tall building in the back).

Beautiful ceiling

The boys had their yearly check-ups with our pediatrician yesterday afternoon. I took them to the appointment while Lane took Alexee to her make-up gymnastics class, then we all met at Purple Cow for C's belated birthday meal.

C holding R's hand

R read a book to C while we waited, but I don't think he was listening. Crosby was really active while we were there. He does this little thing where he pretends to be in a boxing match, and when the doctor walked in C put his fists up to play and then actually punched Dr. B in the arm. This made Rhett laugh, which made Crosby want to do it even more--he loves to make us laugh! I guess pediatricians are used to things like that. (?)
I am SO GRATEFUL for healthy children. I do not take it for granted at all. I'm very very thankful that my only "concern" to discuss with the doctor was Crosby's eczema.

--Rhett measured 52" (75th percentile), 64# (78th percentile)

--Crosby measured 39" (84%), 38.5# (95%)
We didn't take many pictures at dinner. We got birthday milkshakes instead of scoops of ice cream this time--here are a few pictures that Lane took of me and the kids.

All three kids' 2012 birthdays have now officially been celebrated!

Today we met my parents at my niece's basketball game. "The Dazzlers" were playing here in town, so it was fun to see Jaiden play and then have lunch with my family after the game.

Jaiden is #11--she's tough! Micaela and Mario are the coaches.

We'd been there about 3 minutes when Rhett and Alexee started asking for something to drink. We were laughing about them definitely being my kids--more interested in snacks than what was going on in the ballgame!

Alexee & Jeryn

I wish Jeryn was in this picture. He ran over to the bench after the game to talk to his Dad.
The kids wanted to go to Olive Garden for lunch. Jaiden said, "I could eat there every day of my life!" After lunch Mo and Granddad gave Crosby a wheelbarrow for his birthday. He tried it out right there in the Olive Garden parking lot. :)
And here are just a few pictures of Alexee in the back yard when we got home.
She was so excited to see that she could create a rainbow with the water hose!

It has been a good weekend!

Caramel, Minnows, Spring Blooms, etc.

I don't know why it took me two months to think of this, but during Rhett's swim lesson earlier this week I decided to take Alexee and Crosby to the kids' area to play basketball. This was much much easier than trying to keep C out of the big pool, and they had a lot of fun. We plan to visit the basketball court again today! Alexee starts swim lessons again next week--thank goodness her class is at the same time as Rhett's, just with a different instructor. Due to a misunderstanding about scheduling, Alexee didn't have a spot in a class this month.

Am I the last person on earth to learn that you can make caramel from a can of sweetened condensed milk? Oh well, now I know, and I must say it was an amazing discovery! I found this pie recipe on Pinterest and decided to try it this week because I had so many bananas left over from Crosby's monkey party last weekend. I made a graham cracker crust and homemade whipped cream. (The recipe says you can use Cool Whip instead, but I just don't think it's even close to being as good as real whipped cream. I grated a Hershey bar on the top of the pie.)

surprise!

The only trouble with making the caramel was finding 2.5 hours that I'd be close enough to the stove to safely keep something at a rolling boil. I started it as soon as we got home from swim lesson, and it boiled all through dinner and while I gave the kids baths/put them to bed. By the time I did that, it cooled and then the pie chilled for an hour we were asleep on the couch! So I had pie for breakfast the next day.
Rhett brought home the proofs of his spring pictures this week. We did not buy them because I think a fall (school) photo each year is enough, but I thought I'd document it here.

R--at almost age 8

2nd Grade

One afternoon Alexee found two 4-leaf clovers in the front yard.

Our azaleas are in full bloom! I just wish they'd stay like this all summer.

Yesterday there were lots of kids on our neighbor's trampoline. I thought it was sweet that R & C sat together while waiting for the girls to finish their jump time.

Crosby and Emily relaxing in neighbor's rocking chairs.

Today A & C wanted to take a walk down to the stream and look at the minnows again. Crosby said he wanted to be the line-leader. The weeds were a little higher this time so we stayed on the concrete because the grassy area near the water looked like an ideal place for a snake to hang out. From here we were able to see minnows, a lizard on a rock and a robin splashing in the water.

Then they found a bug to look at.

:)

I don't know what kind of tree this is, but it was so pretty!

The dogwoods are also in bloom here--one of my favorite things!

When we got home Alexee went to put her swimsuit on and brought some swim shorts out for Crosby. She decided to help him get changed herself.
I'm thinking it might be a loooong summer if we're already getting out the water-guns and sprinklers at the end of March! It has been in the 80s here lately.

squirting each other with water

C didn't like it at first, but got used to it.

They were muddy and grassy so they had a bath before lunch/naps. These two fight a lot, but they also have a lot of fun together.

:)

Crosby, Age 3!

Happy 3rd Birthday to our precious, handsome Crosby Grant!

I cannot even begin to tell you how special you are to me and to our whole family. Just looking at you makes me happy--you don't have to do or say anything for my heart to just melt.

You are easy-going and happy. You already have such a good sense of humor and you are caring, sensitive and cuddly. Some mornings you'll say, "I want you to sit on the couch beside me", and of course I love to do that. Since we took the side off of your crib I can climb in it with you, and sometimes when you get in bed you'll move over to one side and pat the mattress and tell me there's room for me too. I'll probably eventually break the crib, but it sure is sweet to be there right beside you as we sing Jesus Loves Me, God is so Good, How Great is our God and say our night time prayer.

You're smart, you notice everything and you ask lots of questions. Like most little boys, you love cars, airplanes, firetrucks, motorcycles, dump trucks, etc. You'll sit in the floor and "drive" cars around for a long time or "zoom" airplanes through the air. I love how you carry little things in your pockets like rocks or pennies. They often show up in the washing machine and dryer. :)

You love your big brother and big sister. Rhett and Alexee are so patient with you 99% of the time, and it makes my heart happy to see all three of you play together. You join right in with whatever they're doing...magic shows, jumping off the couch, singing or knock-knock jokes. It doesn't seem to bother you at all that you're not as big as them. That never slows you down!

You are fully potty-trained, even at night (no pull-ups). You still have accidents sometimes, but you've been wearing "big boy underwear" since last fall, and I don't think I bought any night-time pull-ups after Christmas. You are a good sleeper, but you are an early-riser. You go to sleep around 7:15 p.m. and sleep soundly until around 6 a.m. I still wake you up around 11p to take you to use the restroom, but you don't really even wake up then--I carry you to the bathroom and back to the bed. (And every night I stop briefly and glance in the bathroom mirror and wonder how you got so big so fast.) You still take an afternoon nap, generally for about 1.5 hrs. Sometimes 2 or 2.5 hrs. if you're really tired!

You still suck your right thumb and carry your soft football around with you and fall asleep with it, just like in these pictures (and your left arm is usually resting on your forehead when you sleep). We have quite a time trying to keep up with these footballs. My friend Mary Katherine gave you the original one, but we bought back-ups after we realized how attached you are to it. We currently have five football lovies--we had six but you recently accidentally(??) flushed one down the toilet.

You seem to like to make us laugh. One of our favorite things is when you ask us, "Want to see me do something funny?" Future Class Clown!?

When I asked you the night before your birthday how you wanted to spend your special day, you said you wanted to go to the park and see a real firetruck. It was a gorgeous 73 degrees outside, so I took you and Alexee to the park to play and eat a picnic lunch. You both had a great time running, climbing and swinging.

Counting rocks, like Alexee :)

Alexee loved the monkey bars!

While I was pushing you in the swings, I said, "What a beautiful day God made today", and you said, "Yes, Jesus loves this park, Momma." :)

picnic

When we left the park I told you and Alexee that we'd drive by the fire station nearby and just see if they happened to have the garage doors open since it was so warm. The door on the end was open! We drove by once but you didn't get a good look, so we went back and pulled into the parking lot. You said you still couldn't see, so I let you unstrap your carseat to look out the window. Then I decided we'd just hop out of the car and take a quick photo standing beside the fire station sign then peek in the garage door to look at the trucks. While I was taking your picture, one of the firemen came out on the sidewalk and said hello. It told him that we were just driving by to take a quick look because it was my little boy's birthday and that's what he'd asked to do. Then the nice fireman invited us in to take a closer look!!! I didn't at all expect you to get to sit in the driver's seat of the fire truck, but what a birthday treat! You were a little shy at first, but then decided to take advantage of this opportunity!

In the fire station parking lot

What a great thing to get to do on your birthday! I was so thankful that your birthday wish came true! :)

Fireman Crosby

Your sister wasn't shy at all--she hopped right up there!

The fireman offered to take a picture of all three of us--how nice!

When Rhett got home from school, you opened your presents. Unfortunately, Daddy didn't get home from work until about 7:45, and you were already asleep.
Later we took Alexee to gymnastics, and you and Rhett played out in the corner of the parking lot for a while. Then we had to take Rhett to Mrs. Debbie's for his haircut. It was a busy but fun day. I hope you know that we love you SOOOOO much! You are such a blessing to us, and we love watching you grow!