Two Year Check-up

Before we get to this week's random pictures... I will update on the boys' Two Year Check-up!  I use this blog as a way of keeping all friends and family updated from both close and afar, but just as importantly I refer to this blog personally for milestones and growth stats that I have yet to get into their baby-books.  Yeah, a little behind on the baby books, but at least I have this blog to look back on for first steps, first tooth, and weights at each appointment.

 

Both boys did great.  Very little tears for their last set of shots needed until they are 5 (besides the yearly flu shot)!  Considering we haven't had to go to the doctor a whole lot this year (knock on wood) they boys are quite comfortable with Dr. Walker looking in their ears, mouth, eyes, and check them out.  Maybe it helps we got a doctor kit for Christmas and check each other's ears, eyes, mouths, and play doctor nightly ;).  No pictures from the visit.  The waiting room was PACKED full of sick people so the boys were on our laps and not touching anything!!!  Once in the exam room, we had two very little chatty and confident little boys all ready for their check-up.  Dr. Walker hasn't said anything about retirement but when he does, I am going to beg for him to stay at least until the boys turn 18. It also helps that he knows me and my OCD tendencies... although I didn't even have a list of questions this time and the boys are healthy!

 

Ashton: 31.8 pounds  36" tall

Aiden: 30.3 pounds   35" tall

 

*Little brother is just a little bit smaller...

 

The rest of the week, we pretty much just hung at home.  WAY TOO COLD to venture out very much!

 

The birthday card that Gramma and Grampa gave the boys had some stickers.  We don't do much with stickers, but they loved moving them around the furniture for a night!

 Still not sitting still for whole books, but they have been wanting to take them to bed with them.  After tucking them in and hearing voices, this is what I walked in to... 

 See the little hands above... Ashton's head peeking in the next picture.

 Trying to entertain in the cold weather, we broke out another birthday present that was tucked away.  ELEFUN!  They didn't quite get the concept of catching the butterflies with their nets.  They let them fall to the floor, picked them up, and then put them in their net.  Whatever... it kept them busy!

 Aiden has been a bit dramatic lately.  He will throw himself on the ground and ask for help up...

 "Mama... Help... Up."

 "Hand... Hand... Hand."  Such a little actor and so dramatic ;)

 Saturday I was changing the sheets on their bed and the mattress was on the floor.  that was a couple hours of fun jumping on the mattress.  Sunday it was the couch cushions.  First they liked jumping on the cushions, then they like sitting on the "Baby couch". 

 Well, Adam and I are not going to sit on the 'baby couch', but they liked that it was their size... so we Face-timed with Gramma and Grampa so they could watch the boys open one of birthday presents they sent the boys.  Since Christmas, our house has been bursting at the seems with toys so we were going to pack their chairs away until the new house...  They LOVE having chairs just their size!

 All the boys watching TV... what are they watching?  Any guesses?

 The Winter X Games.  I don't know how many times Adam asked, "Hey guys do you want a snowmobile?  Do you want to race snowmobiles or dirt bikes?  Do you want to go the the Winter X Games in 5 years?"

 Daddy's dream would be to have this next picture be Ashton and Aiden...

 Adam and I ran to Menard's and to the house while the boys were sleeping.  When we got home, Nana had built the boys a 'Club House' from the Pottery Barn boxes... 

 Only maybe three more weeks or less, and ALL THE TOYS CAN BE IN THE BASEMENT! 

 HOUSE UPDATE:  Just about there!  Walls are all painted, floors are all in (except for carpet coming this week), and cabinets are all being set.  This week the trim and doors will be delivered, the granite will be measured on Monday and installed on Friday, and carpet, doors and trim will done.  Maybe the cedar shakes will go on and the 3-season porch will take shape?!?!  The stone and concrete patio and front steps won't go in now until the spring.

 The infamous front door.  Worth all the stress though!  It is beautiful.  Why the stress?  We ordered it in October,were told it would 4-6 weeks, we got four different ship dates, and it was done wrong twice.  Still needs to have white lineal around it (siding guy;s mistake) like all the front windows, and a while installing it a screw broke the top transom glass.  Soooo.... yes, this is the infamous front door that caused many headaches and worries.  It's beautiful though ;)

 Kitchen cabinets going in and the island being put together. 

 Master bathroom shower.

 Master bathroom tub

 Family room with the master bedroom off to the right.

 Looking across the kitchen and family room.  Warning *Bad picture of the mudroom color... YELLOW. It's not that bright.  I was a bit scared when I saw this picture...

A better picture of the color. Whew.

 The boys' room.

 Banisters... being weathered to math the 'rustic' beams and barn door the builder made for us.  So hard seeing brand new banisters being 'weathered' with a hatchet, nails, and torch... but will look great in the end!

 Entryway looking into the house.

 Beams in the family room.

Seeing everything come together is a lot of fun, however it is driving me CRAZY that I have these beautiful wood floors that are filthy and all the contractors keep their boots on as they work.  :)

 

Have a great week... try to stay WARM!

Birthdays and Belated Christmas

This past week was all about CELEBRATING!  I have a lot of pictures from two mini birthday celebrations and a very special, yet belated, Christmas celebration...

 

Thursday night we had a mini birthday celebration for the boys since we would be out of town on the day of their 2nd "Bert-day".  On Thursday night we had pizza and cake with my family.

Ashton got ready to Blow... On your mark...

Get set...

Blow!

Since Aiden was born three minutes after Ashton, he blew out his candles three minutes later.  *At one point I thought it may have been neat for one to be born before midnight and one to be after midnight so they each had their special days, but now it is just as good to have two special boys celebrate on the same day!  Aiden's turn to blow out his candle... Get ready...

Get Set...

Blow!

Time to dig in... 

Aiden's favorite part?  The frosting!

 



Daddy being silly.

The two S.P.O.I.L.E.D boys then opened their presents from Nana, and Elly and Price.  They were outfitted in full Batman and Superman gear.  Shoes, swim shirts, swim trunks and sweatshirts.  They ask to wear their new shoes everyday, but we need to grow just a bit more!  They are a bit big now, but will fit by summer for sure.

What do you get little boys who were just spoiled at Christmas and who knows the name of EVERY animal and has every animal?  Start them a Dinosaur collection, fruit snacks and get them Elmo hand soap ;) Thanks to Nana and Aunt Elly they will be very stylin' dudes for the next year too!

On Friday we packed up and headed East to Gramma and Grampa's house.  We were all looking forward to the visit and celebrate Christmas... with a Hawaiian twist.  It didn't take long for these two little boys to become infatuated with Grampa's train (it usually goes around the Christmas tree, but this year it was around the Palm tree).  Ashton and Aiden did a great job only letting Grampa "drive" the train and looking with their eyes.

You'll notice that it didn't take long for the animals to be set around the train...

They would have sat and watched the train for house, but the train needed to take a break and nap sometimes. ;)

Ashton found Elle's baby stroller and babies... all the animals got a ride too! *If you look close, he is pushing twins.

Aiden would be glued to Grampa the entire time, if it was possible.

Settling in for a movie on Friday night.  With popcorn of course!

Saturday morning, we had to kill some time before Uncle Dave, Aunt Missy, Elle and Elise came.  Once the boys found out they were coming, we were asked about it every five minutes.  Break out the iPad to waste some time...

Don't mind all the heads in the next picture.  The reason I L.O.V.E this next picture is the look on Aiden's face as he is adoring his cousin Elise.  They were not in the door but two minutes and he wanted to hold her. Awwwwww.



Ashton held her too.

All four grandchildren admiring Grampa's train.

Take a little time out for a quick "Dance Paaarty"...

What do you do when you are trying to get lunch ready and have the kiddos take a nap before presents?  Actually... we didn't even have to have them do anything.  I turned around all all three kiddos were playing in an iPad on the couch.  Elise will be sitting right along with them next year ;)

Cousins.  Nice smile Elle!

Let's try it again... SMILE Ashton.  Yep - that's his smile face. 

There's Elise!  Surprised one of the kiddos aren't wanting to hold her, or I'm not cuddling with her.

All settled in to watch Elle's new movie - Tangled.  Such a cute movie!  Bonus that it has a horse in it and not a scary shark like Nemo :)  Aiden doesn't like "scary parts" of movies...

Before presents, we wanted to get all four kids in a picture.  It worked to get them all to sit still for a couple minutes!

All those cute kids posing by the presents... Because Two People Fell In Love.  Gramma and Grampa!

And.... DIG IN!  Ashton is the present Terminator.  He will open for the sake of opening and will not give two looks at what he is opening.  Aiden enjoys opening, but he will open one present and play with it the rest of the time.  I was the guard of the presents, otherwise Ashton would have opened every single one in a matter of minutes!  "Nother One, Nother One, Nother One"

Yep, that is another forced smile face... "Just let me open presents mom.  Quit making me stop and smile!"

"Open. Open. Open."

What more could you ask for?  Blocks WITH Animals!

and TRUCKS!

Is that Grampa or Santa?  Hawaiian style Santa...

After all toys were cleaned up and paper in the trash bags, Ashton was tired and ready for a break.  Should we watch Tangled a-g-a-i-n?  Sure... Ashton is ready.

With so many people around, and the boys staying busy... I got my fix of baby snuggles, smiles, and stories from Elise.

Three Kids in a Tub.  Rub-a-dub-dub.

After bath time is bedtime.  The last bedtime putting these two one-year old boys to bed.  Where did my babies go?

Sunday the Boys turned T-W-O!  Aiden glued to Grampa and enjoying some birthday snuggles.  Are we watching Tangled? "Horsie Movie?"  Probably.

More presents?  Oh boy.  Again, Aiden opening a truck and wanting to play with it the rest of the time.  Ashton ripping through ALL the rest of the presents. 

 "More? More? More!"

 



Grampa and Gramma had cupcakes made for the boys... They were HUGE and YUMMY!

Second time around, they know exactly what to do!  Ready... Set...

Blow!

Ready...

Set...

Blow!

 



Elle showing us the color of her tongue... It's GREEN!

Yummmmm... Looking at this picture, I had flashbacks...

 Ha.  I knew the blue mouth looked familiar!

 Aiden taking a bit on his second birthday...

and on his first birthday.  Not really wanting to get "dirty" either days...

 Thanks so much for helping make their birthday a special day!  It was fun being able to share it with Gramma, Grampa, and The Ruebers!

After traveling home and unpacking, what is a better birthday supper than "Donald's?"  Yeah, we took the easy route and went to McDonald's and let them play for a bit.  Their other favorite person "Kae-da" met us there with Nana.  When we asked if they wanted Mikayla to join us they said, "Yeah... Kae-da dance too!"  To funny.

Where did the babies that were born two years ago go?  

Ashton = He is more quiet than Aiden right now.  While Aiden is talking just to hear himself talk, Ashton sits back and observes.  He knows as many words as Aiden, however only uses them when he needs to.  He wears his heart on his sleeve.  I say this as his feelings are hurt very easily, he shows when he is the slightest bit tired, and he will ask me to "snuggle" most days.  He loves his animals, trucks, and lining up all his cars and animals wherever they will stand.  He makes "a parade."  Don't let his blue eyes and fluffy blonde hair fool you, as he can hold his own against his brother.  He will hit at times, and he doesn't give in to what his brother wants all the time!

Aiden = He is a CHATTER BOX.  He amazes me each day with what he puts together, the number of words he puts together, how he corrects himself when misspeaks and his wheels are always turning trying to figure things out.  Aiden will push through as long as he stays busy.  You can tell he is tired when he is running up the walls and can not settle down.  These are the times he knows when he actually slows down or sits down, he will crash.  He loves to pretend play with his kitchen, house, and train table.  He is dad's side kick when something needs to be "fixed", vacuumed, swept, or shoveled.  He loves his "friends" (Scout, Tigger, Nemo, and Elmo) and his blankie.  He has a kind heart and will often share what he has when we ask him too, although he also tries to steal whatever his brother is playing with.  Don't let his big blue eyes fool you, as he sometimes bites and has extra energy that he sometimes can not get rid of! 

Happy 2nd Birthday to our Two Favorite Little Boys!  Love you to pieces.

Oh yeah, we're still building a house!  HOUSE UPDATE:  A lot.  Sheet rock is done.  Paint was done today.  The cabinets go in tomorrow, and the tile and wood floor will be in this week.  Our front door arrived finally from Utah, we had it stained at a stain shop, and it is ready to go in!  I LOVE it, and cannot wait to see it in!

Thanks for checking in!  We have the boys' two year doctor appointment tomorrow!  I am thinking Ashton is taller and heavier, but we shall see.

~The A Team