My new babies

After calling the local feed stores, I discovered that baby chicks may not be available much longer, so we decided to get them now. My parents have agreed to chick-sit while we are gone in June. Hee Hee

All curled in a ball


All set up in their new temporary home. They'll stay in this box for a while. When they get bigger, they'll move to the coop outdoors


Jacob is pretty freaked out by them. This picture is of really poor quality, but I think you can see the look of fear on his face.


He was much more interested in telling us about his new truck book that he got from the Henrys. Thank you Dave and Nancy! He LOVES this book!


Isn't she cute?


Now they just need names!

Pics of the week (so far)

I can't believe it is Wednesday already! This week has just flown by. We haven't really done anything special, just Baby Boot Camp in the morning, then lunch and naps and then playing in the yard in the afternoon.

These were taken yesterday afternoon
Isaac was very content to sit in the bouncy while Jacob ran around


I went in the garden to take some pictures and Jacob wasn't too happy that he wasn't allowed in too


Alan made these cool planter boxes for some of our plants. The one in the far corner has strawberries. Yum!


Some of our stuff is getting really big!
Beans


Tomatoes


Isaac has done really well at BBC the past couple days. I figured out that if I get there a little early and feed him, he'll sleep through most of the class. Its much more enjoyable when he isn't crying!
Parenting involves a lot of trial and error! Alan figured out that Isaac will take a bottle better if he runs the hairdryer while trying to feed him. Jacob was the same way at first. Then they get used to eating from the bottle and the hairdryer isn't necessary. We were also having trouble getting Jacob's teeth brushed. He was obsessed with the concept and would constantly sign 'brush teeth', he just wouldn't let us get the brush in his mouth! One day I sat on the toilet and plopped him on my lap on his back to see if I could get to his teeth that way. It worked! So now that's the way we brush his teeth. It looks strange, but whatever works, right?

Earlier this week Jacob got some new sandals. They are just like his Daddy's!


Now we are off to the feed store to get some chicks!!

Bawk! Bawk!

Happy Mother's Day!

My Mother's Day started with yummy bagels that Jacob and Alan got yesterday. They went on a bike ride and stopped at The Bagel Peddler. When they came home Jacob found me and handed me the bag. He was so proud! Later in the morning I noticed a pretty bouquet of yellow roses on the table. Alan cut them from one of our bushes and they smell heavenly.



After church my parents and brothers came over for lunch and Alan grilled us up a Latin American feast. We had steak, shrimp, sausages, beans, rice and plantains. So yummy! I was so stuffed, but managed to find room for the cherry dessert and ice cream that my mom brought over. Needless to say, I am not eating dinner tonight. :P

After dessert, the Mother's Day gifts were presented and I was very surprised to learn that my boys are getting me some chickens! I have been wanting to raise some for a while now and this yard is perfect for it. We are waiting to get the chicks until July when we return from a trip to Napa. That way nobody has to care for them while we are gone and it gives Alan some time to build their coop and for me to read the book 'Chickens in Your Backyard: A Beginner's Guide' that the boys got me to prepare for my new brood.

I've done a little research on chicken breeds and I hope to get Buff Orpingtons which are known to be nice, docile chickens, perfect for families. Can't wait until we get some eggs!


Me with my precious boys


A little brotherly love

Thank You

I've been teaching Jacob the sign for 'thank you' and today he used it. One of the Baby Boot Campers was sharing her snack with Jacob (She really had no choice. He was pretty much begging) and I told him to say thank you. He did the sign! Yay. Then at lunch he signed for a drink, I gave it to him and he signed 'thank you' totally unprompted! That's the stuff that makes a mommy proud. Sometimes you wonder if your kid is really listening and paying attention, and then they totally surprise you. :D

And can I just say 'thank you, God' that today has been better than yesterday so far?? Yesterday afternoon was just one of those times when you wonder if you are cut out for this parenting business. Jacob wouldn't nap and his yelling woke up Isaac and both of them ended up being high-maintenance. Jacob was being so naughty! He would NOT sit for his time out. He just kept getting up time after time after time. That had never happened before, even when we first started doing time outs. And while I was trying to continuously put him back on his 'naughty step', Isaac was crying. It is not easy to hold an infant and keep a defiant toddler on a step. I am so thankful that Alan came home because I think I would have lost it. Anyway, Jacob and Isaac are both napping now and I am hoping that them getting sleep will make for a more pleasant afternoon.

This morning right after I fed Isaac at 5:30, he laughed! It was so cute!! After I got up later I started doubting myself, though. Maybe I was just dreaming. It was early and I was tired after all. I looked in the baby book to see when babies start laughing and it is right around his age, so now I know he did for real. Can't wait to hear it again. Music to my ears!

Gettin' Fit

This week I started Baby Boot Camp and I am so glad to be back. The girls running it are doing more cardio than we did in Stroller Strides and it is awesome! I should lose that last 5 baby pounds in no time! Today we walked/ran up this HUGE steep hill pushing the kids and then the instructor told us to do it twice more without the kiddos. We were all like WHAT?!? I wasn't sure if I would make it, but I did and when I was finished I felt pretty good about myself. I even ran part of it. Not sure if I'll be able to walk tomorrow, though. :P

Yesterday we got Alan's Father's Day gift. A bit early, but it was on sale because it is a discontinued model and we didn't want someone else to snatch it up!

We got him a bike trailer for Jacob (and eventually Isaac when he gets bigger) to ride in behind Alan's bike.


Jacob has to wear a helmet and we weren't sure how that would go, but he wore it without too much of a fuss. Isn't he too cute?


Off they go!


A breakthrough ~ Isaac has been taking a pacifier this week! YAY. He doesn't keep it in real well, but he'll get better at it.


La La La I can't hear you Mommy!
I can't remember why he was covering his ears. Maybe Isaac was screaming or something. :P

Dino Baby

Isaac got this robe and slipper set from his Uncle Randall (Alan's brother), Aunt Hilary and cousins Lila and Sam.

Is he super cute, or what?


Something about being in a robe brings out the seriousness in my boys.
This is Jacob when he was the same age


I just noticed that their boppy covers match their robes. Jacob with his safari and alligator and Isaac with his dinos. I didn't even do that on purpose.

The past three days have been good ones for Isaac. There hasn't been much crying and screaming in the evenings! Yay. :D Yesterday evening Alan was gone and I actually got both boys bathed and it didn't end with a huge headache. Isaac sat in the bouncy seat in the bathroom during Jacob's bath and he was just so content. I was amazed and relieved. He was even smiling and cooing! I hope this means we are over the hump. Cross your fingers!

Oh! And for all of you wondering why we named our stroller Bob, we didn't. BOB is the brand name. The company used to be called Beast of Burden, but it got shortened to B.O.B.

Holland Festival

Yesterday we went to the Holland Festival and even though Jacob was too little to play a lot of the games, he still had a lot of fun.

Fishing for a prize


Grab Bag fun ~ He was peeking through the hole at the people handing the kids the bags and he thought that was pretty funny


Ping pong throwing - he actually made it into a bucket or two. I think he won 4 tickets. Pretty good, huh?


Here it looks like he is thinking 'Oh man. How could I miss that shot?'


I think it is cute that you can see his fingers gripping the top of the neck. Not very realistic! Not to mention the fact that his head is a little too small for the body!! You can also see Alan's foot sticking out the bottom on the second picture. I thought about cropping it, but thought it was funnier as is.



Isaac was also there, but slept in the sling the entire time. Guess I should have had a picture taken of his first Holland Festival, but oh well. Next year should be super fun when both boys will be running around enjoying everything!