Cole's 3rd Birthday- Part 1

Cole won't be 3 until March 24th but we celebrated early with family and friends this past weekend. Cole really wanted a football birthday at the Ye Ol' Pizza Shoppe in town, so thats what he had. It was the easiest birthday party I have had to put together so far. All I had to do was make cupcakes and order pizza, along with a few decorations and party bags of course. It was great not to have to clean up before or after the party. The kids were entertained by the arcade games and a small ride...for only a quarter a turn! Here are a few pictures:

Baby Update

I am now 24-weeks and today I had another ultrasound to see if the placenta had moved out of the way. According to the ultrasound technician it had moved clear out of the way and everything looked great. I am hoping to get the same good news tomorrow from the doctor. It was such a relief today to know that I would still have the option not to have a c-section.

Baseball

As most of you know I used to keep myself busy with athletics as a kid, however I am thankful to my parents for not starting me too early. I am hearing stories already of some kids Ian's age going to the batting cages at 4 years old! I just think that is crazy. Today Ian had the opportunity to play a little t-ball and I was very proud of him. He hit the ball really well, attempted to field the ball, and was patient in taking his turn. Of course it was hard not to try and coach him through it all, but for the most part Kris and I just let him play with the other kids. Cole didn't have the attention span to play so he rode his bike ALL around.

YMCA Daycare

Of course I would love to be a stay at home mom but I do love my job. We are very lucky that the boys love going to their daycare/preschool at the YMCA. It's not a big gym and workout facility, only daycare/preschool which is really nice. Of course with any type of childcare there is a price but I really feel like we get our moneys worth. The boys are in a safe, clean environment that supplies USDA approved meals three times a day. They provide preschool curriculum prior to the normal preschool age of three and the teachers are very loving.
Today the boys shared their school with cousin Tyler, it was her first day there. Cole enjoyed showing her around and stayed in her room with her all day. They enjoyed nap time together and she managed to steal some of his snack away from him. He may stay in the toddler room because he had so much fun. Ian on the other hand said good morning and then was off to his "big boy" classroom. As much as I love having them there I really do wish Grandma and Papa Garner lived closer since they are retired and would LOVE to babysit I'm sure.

Last Weekend in February

Where did the month of February go? We didn't do anything "big" this weekend but we got a lot accomplished, at least I think so (Kris never thinks we do). On Friday we went out to dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant and the boys enjoyed the Mariachi band that was playing. When we got home we had a movie night, but in separate rooms. Kris and I watching "Couples Retreat" and the boys watched "G-Force." We spent Saturday morning moving the boys officially into the back bedroom to make room for baby brother. We also removed all the toys from the living room into their bedroom, its amazing how many toys two little boys can acquire. Next weekend I think we need to purge!
The boys (and Kris) were getting bored of being inside so we took a trip to Home Depot for some roofing. When we got back Kris decided that instead of doing that project he was going to cut down a tree, so he did. The boys watched from inside the house but as soon as it was down they were climbing all over it. They also helped take the limbs to the burn pile, while I watched.
Today we had another busy day working outside, roofing the woodshed, laundry, and exploring for deer prints. Grandma Jean and Papa Craig came over to help finish up the bunk beds, now they are off to Rome for a week!!! Well tomorrow is March which means its even closer to Cole turning 3! I should probably get something planned....

Zoo Day

As promised we took Cole to the zoo for a reward for being potty trained. Both Ian and Cole were very excited for the day. The pictures below are out of order so start at the end of the 5. The weather was great and the crowd was manageable. It was nice not to have a stroller to maneuver through everyone and the boys did great walking together. Ian says his favorite animals were the mountain goals and the swamp monkeys. Cole likes the penguins(because they smell) and the new Lion exhibit. If you have been to the Portland zoo you know they have been working on the primate exhibit...they still are, but the new Lion area is amazing. My favorite picture is Cole sleeping on the couch, that NEVER happens.

Portland Zoo Pictures