A visit to Charlotte- June.

Mama's cousin Andy and his new wife Christina invited us down to their new house in Charlotte. We were excited to go see them and Charlotte (which is a great town!).

Henry and I stopped at a greenhouse and picked out some flowers for their new house. Not only did I like them, but you can also see my new front tooth (I've got two of them now).

Not only did they open their home to us, they also had some presents waiting for us! Miss Christina picked out this pretty dress for me.

Now I just need to start walking, because crawling in it is pretty hard.

And Henry really hit the jackpot with his new monster truck and trailer. And it even came with a motorcycle to park on the trailer.

We went out to eat at the best seafood restaurant ever. Mama and papa really enjoyed the food (mama ate sushi, mussels, and clams- sorry Aunt Jenni) and everyone got the gift of good behavior from two kids.

We had a late night at their house because a thunderstorm rolled in right around bedtime. I fell asleep right away, but henry stayed up until 10:30 asking to use the potty and feigning (in mama's opinion) a fear of thunder.

This morning, we visiting the neighborhood playground and I decided that Henry shouldn't be the only one having fun on the equipment.

Henry scaled the climbing wall...

...and papa hit the slides...

...and I decided to get daring. I climbed up the ramp to the playground, over the bridge and launched myself down the slide face first about 20 times in a row.

Luckily, Miss Christina was there to catch me at the bottom every time!

The Eggstravaganza- Henry.

Mister Andy and Miss Christina took us to a huge Easter festival. Although we underestimated the parking and had to walk over a mile to get to the "big easter party," we had a great time.

Many area businesses had booths set up and had games to play and candy to hand out! I made a beaded necklace at the YMCA booth. I had so much fun making it, I asked to go back after a bathroom break, and mama is thinking about getting me some beads for a quiet activity.

We played in a cool green fitness bus that can be rented out for parties (hint, hint mama).

Juner was happy to carry around two eggs all day and held up pretty well considering she didn't get a nap all day.

Andy and Christina also held up well, especially with one three year old boy who drank approximately 1000 oz. of juice today (and had about the same number of potty related close calls or accidents).

Before we left, we took some time to sit in the throne of the big guy- the Easter Bunny, that is.

Easter Egg Hunt- June.

Mama decided to forgo the easter egg hunt at the Eggstravaganza when she saw the line of hundreds of kids.Instead, she promised us a private easter egg hunt back at the house. Mama made some eggs off limits for Henry and let me collect them. I found two and lost interest in the hunt.

Henry had fun hunting for eggs, but sometimes missed even the obvious eggs.

I tried to get the neighbors in on the fun by smuggling eggs through the fence.

Miss Christina was nice enough to share her peanut butter egg with me.

Mister Andy had the nerve to eat his on his own. And he thought he could hide it from me.

Thanks Mister Andy and Miss Christina for having us! Like Henry said (a hundred times), "Next time, we'll come back here!"

What a handsome baby- Henry.

June has been getting better about keeping her hair barrette in her hair lately. Which is good, because mama was about 3 days away from cutting bangs.

With all her hair out of her face, we were able to see a nice bruise on Juner's forehead (probably a product of not walking, but climbing on everything). We were also able to see all the new teeth cutting through her gums. Just like me, she looks like she's going to get them all in just a few months time. We especially look that big molar in the back.

We used to think June was quite pretty, but now we're afraid that she's reached monster mode.

Tonight we went to a place called the Little Gym, because mama got a gift certificate for a free month of gymnastics classes (a very loose term for 3 year olds). While I was in my class, mama, papa Juner waited outside where June did her best to make friends with all the other parents and kids and mooch as many pretzels off of strangers as she could get.

I had a great time at the class. Most of the kids did a great job following the instructions of running around and going through the obstacle course of the balance beam and parallel bars. I mostly stood with my fingers in my mouth and slowly walked behind the crowd. I did like it when they blew up the big inflatable trampoline.

Hopefully all the kids liked me, but they might think I'm a little weird in this outfit. Mama put this shirt on me without realizing that it was a bit too small. Then I wanted to wear my rain boots because I can put them on by myself (a surprising twist from a kid who has never had any interest in dressing himself). Looks like mama needs to find some shoes that I can put on myself and that are a more seasonally appropriate.

The saddest post you'll see all week- mama.

Henry spends 95% of his time asking if he can watch TV. (This is why I miss our basement- out of sight, out of mind.) We try to limit TV time to less than an hour a day. And I prefer to reserve that hour for the grumpiest time of the day- after naps and before supper.

Today Henry asked all day and I told him he could watch Word Girl when he got up from his nap if he came straight downstairs without any whining at the top of the stairs and directly outside our bedroom where June naps. He complied and came straight downstairs and asked to watch TV.

But poor baby Juner did not fare so well this afternoon. She woke up after only an hour and a half nap. I fought her for a half hour to go back to sleep before I gave up and brought her downstairs. I turned on Sesame Street to entertain her because she was eating up my precious half hour nap (no one's got it worse than mama). She was such a pitiful ball of sad that I brought her on to the couch with me for a snuggle. And in the first time in about a year, without the help of a 105 degree fever (the only time Henry has ever cuddled in his life), June actually cuddled me back for a half hour. Poor kid must be feeling bad. Or maybe Elmo has completely rotted her brain.

Even after I got up to start supper, she remained like this:

That is one pitiful baby.

Looks like this gugger needs someone to come and cuddle her full-time. Life has really got her down. Aunt Jenni, after UNC wins tonight, you two can come be sad together.

Art projects- Henry.

Last night mama and papa were reminiscing about the two best kids in the world (hello- me and Juner!), when they realized large parts of our lives were fuzzy or nonexistent. The human brain only has so much capacity for ridiculously cute. Good thing mama keeps this blog. And if you didn't think she jabbered on enough in the past, she's made a conscious decision to up the jabber, so that she has a record of all the things we do. I think secretly she hoping she can just give us the blog when we turn 18 so she doesn't have to buy us presents.

It's been a while since we've had a craft update. But now that the weather is nicer, we're playing outside more at school and don't complete as many crafts. Plus, we don't really craft much in this house due to my complete lack of interest. I was pretty proud of this cow though.

This tooth (while inexplicably sideways even after mama tried uploading it several times) is the definition of my interest in craftwork. A few light swoops of the crayon is all I have time for. There are cars to be parked.

I did like making this pig though. It involved gluing and painting. Mama glues with me occasionally, but does not have the guts for paint. She says that is why she sends me to school.

Now for more jabber. Mama is pleased that after last week's propensity to glue myself to her and refuse to play alone, I am back to my usual activities of parking cars and working on puzzles for long stretches. My favorite puzzle is my puzzle of America- all the states are the pieces. But I call it my "House" puzzle. That's because when I put it together I ask, "Who lives in this house?" It's a stretch for mama to come up with people we know in all 50 states, so instead I know that "Brett Favre is from Mississippi" or that "Elliott Smith recorded Either/Or in Oregon."

Mama also has a good time listening to me park cars. We've mentioned before that I don't have dolls, but I still get my share of pretend play in with my cars. Lately, my cars have all been named Basil or Tobey- as in the mouse sleuth and dog in the Great Mouse Detectives- my current favorite movie. Mama also caught me today quoting "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish." My favorite lines are the ones that end "Don't ask me why, go ask your mother." Except today when my cars asked me questions, I responded, "I don't know, go ask Mister Andy" or "Don't ask me, go ask Miss Becky." Before my nap, mama read me this book and when we reached these lines (there are about 6 instances in the book), I had to explain to mama that "I call my dad 'papa.' " Or "some people call their mother 'mommy,' but I call you 'mama.' "

June has been battling a cold and teething in the past week. Mama calls her a "hot mess." Mostly because she still refuses to wear a hair barrette, and often er long hair falls over her eyes and gets stuck in the pool of snot on her upper lip. A lovely look for a little girl. But when she's not feeling poorly, June is quite the trouble maker.

We try to be vigilant about the baby gate up in the hallway, because June can crawl fast and always makes straight for the stairs. But she's pretty good about climbing and descending stairs on her own. She has mastered the belly slide. She knows she's not supposed to play on the stairs by herself, so when she does make the break away sprint for the steps she usually sits at the bottom yelling until someone comes to get her. And as soon as someone comes, she lets out a high squeal and takes off up the stairs.

This is similar to her behavior on the train table. Mama says that I used to climb on the train table too. But it was mostly out of necessity when a car left my grasp. For June, it is solely for the sake of being seen. If I don't alert a grow-up to the fact that June is breaking a rule, she'll yell until someone finds her and then look mighty pleased as she is removed from the table and placed in baby time out. (We have to be consistent with rules with a 3-year-old in the house.)

Other things this weekend- Henry.

Don't feel bad that mama didn't take us to the soccer game. We needed naps so that we could go over the Gracie and Audrey's house for a cookout!

While we got ready for the cookout, June watched a little tv in her chair.

We had a great time at our friends' house. They have a big backyard with a big playground. Gracie and I played while the babies sat in their fenced in playyard.

But June didn't want to stay alone for long because there were also three big dogs running around trying to get in. Later we all took baths and tried to settle down to go to bed. The little grils settled down and fell asleep early, but Gracie and I started out in the same room and eventually had to be separated when Gracie's bed "broke"- all the covers and sheet just happened to spontaneously fall off. Mama and papa stayed up late playing RockBand with Miss Becky and Mister Andy. Eventually they came and got us and took us home.

Today June had a hard time recovering from the late night and a nasty cold. She's perfected her smoker's cough and we found two more surprised when she opened her mouth.

She got another bottom tooth (bringing the bottom total to 4) and is working on another top front tooth (which will bring the top to 4). Mama says that I was the same way as a baby. I had two teeth for months before I grew the rest of them in the span of 3 months. Looks like June is going through the same thing. Hopefully she starts to feel better soon.

After lunch we both climbed up on the stool to help papa make some coffee.

June was awfully pleased with herself, but wasn't much help making coffee.

Later papa and I went out for a walk and came home to find mama making banana oatmeal bread. She let me help with the blender while she added the oatmeal.

And she even let me have a taste.

Gracie's soccer game- Henry.

Yesterday mama left us at home and went out to watch a soccer game.

She met up with her friend Audrey and watch our friend Gracie in her soccer debut.

When the game started, Gracie was the first kid to kick the ball.

But getting that many 3-year-olds to play an organized sport is a big challenge.

After time outs, the coaches would ask for six kids to plays and most just sat on the sidelines happy to watch.Mama liked watching all the kids. A few, like this one, were actually really into the game.
Others needed emergency substitutions for potty breaks (this is mama's favorite photo).
In the end, the Purple People Eaters had a great showing for their first game. Gracie and her dad "Coach Andy" celebrated, even though we're not sure of the final score.
Audrey gave the game "two keys up."