Reading with Love

Both Paige and Aiden really enjoy reading to Harlow and one night last week Jon recorded Aiden reading to her using his iPhone, it was such a precious moment between them.

Tickles & Giggles at Bedtime

This past week I had a plan to keep my camera within reach and take pictures of the everyday stuff, this night in particular was bedtime.

It was when I looked at these pictures I realized how much fun we all have together in those last 30 minutes before bed.

tickles from daddy

tucking her little lamb into bed

giggles

running around

silly girl

Mom I Will Smile This Time...

I had no intention of taking pictures today because usually one of the kids ends up crying and I end up frustrated and sweaty without even getting what I think is "the perfect picture." But today Aiden asked me to take a picture with Harlow and he promised me he would smile this time. I tried to take some pictures last week and Aiden was the one who ended up crying when I took him out of the pictures because he wouldn't even look at the camera. So after Aiden made his plea for a picture I quickly grabbed the camera in hopes of getting a quick perfect picture to start out our day. I think he did pretty good, he couldn't hold Harlow very still but I was happy with these because I could feel the love between the two of them.

Aiden is so helpful during the day with Harlow, I often call on him to sing to her when I am busy making dinner or I ask for him to hand her a toy when I am trying to get ready in the morning. Harlow of course lights up when she sees either Paige or Aiden, I look forward to watching her play her big sister and brother when she gets a little bigger.

*Harlow's sweet outfit is by my favorite clothing brand eden's bouquet and headband by the super talented Mia Joie

I hope to get back on my Blog and share more with you all this weekend so stay tuned.

Happy 3rd Birthday to my 'Man in the Middle' Aiden

I have always felt a special bond with my little 'A' man; he was my first boy and the first child I got to stay home with. I LOVE spending time with my little man; we play cars together, play fight with Star Wars light sabers and use his toys to act out scenes from Toy Story the movie.

So let me tell you a little bit about my special man in the middle, well he really is ALL BOY. Aiden loves to play outside, he is always able to entertain himself and like most boys will stir-up some mischief while exploring, he loves to dress-up with his sister (he had a phase of wearing the cheerleader costume but since his birthday he is all Spiderman or Transformer), he enjoys playing his new DSi, his favorite movies are Toy Story and Cars and he loves all things Star Wars...just like his daddy.

So what do we do to keep busy you ask? Well, Aiden and I enjoy a Mommy & Me class at our local My Gym on Wednesday mornings, after our class we enjoy a nice lunch together at Subway (he loves his Turkey sandwich, chocolate milk and his favorite part of lunch is the chocolate chip cookie... just like his mommy) and we also keep busy doing different events with friends in our Mommy Meet-up Group's.

So now that Aiden is 3, I have decided it's time to start teaching him a few things using a weekly lesson plan similar in style to Tot School, by using this technique Aiden will learn through fun play. I will try and post some of my lesson plans on my Blog starting next week.

Happy Birthday Aiden Ryder!!!

So Much LOVE...Valentine's Day 2010

I sure do love Valentine's Day, it's such a fun 'loving' holiday and with red being my favorite color it's so appealing to my heart. Oh and to those that say it's just a Hallmark holiday, well that's ok with me since Hallmark is on my top 10 list of favorite stores.

The beautiful red roses my husband sent me

School was closed on Friday because of the snow so the kids and I decorated some heart shaped cookies...

...or should I say ate some heart shaped cookies?

...because we love you!

Paige got a new game for her DS (her daddy picked it out for her), a couple new outfits for her Bamboletta dolls, a Valentine themed Pixos and of course some sweet candy.

Aiden got a new small Woody toy set, a pair of Woody pajamas (I have got to get you a picture of him wearing them, seriously the cutest pj's EVER!), a Toy Story magic coloring book and some candy.

Harlow entertaining herself

What did Harlow get???

She got a pair of heart pajamas, a couple soft flower bracelets and Converse that I sparkled with Swarovski crystals

A close-up...so CUTE!

Harlow's 1st Valentine's Day 2010 - 6 months old

Paige's Valentine Party at school 2/16

Playing Musical Chairs

Paige's Valentine's for her classmates... she and I both loved how they turned out!

I can't take the credit for this FANTASTIC idea, I found it here on the 24-7-365 Blog

Thankful Thursday

Well we had another fun filled week around here. On Monday, I took Aiden to Build-A-Bear with some friends so he could make an animal for one of the Star Wars costumes they carry. He chose the Camo Bear, dressed it in the Darth Vader costume and named it the obvious choice of Darth Vader.

I figured it would be another furry friend and a decoration for his new Star Wars themed room. He has been sleeping with Vader and pushing him around in the blue stroller since he made him so he has quickly become a favorite toy. Jon is still doing the touch-up work on the painting in his room and we are still waiting on his dresser but after we get it all put together I will share pictures of his new Star Wars themed big boy room.

Giving his bear some love...oh yes, don't mind the PINK Hello Kitty watch, he insisted on wearing it after his sister had worn it for a few days.


Giving his bear a bath


Lovin' some 1/1 time with my little man


His new best friend Darth Vader


Aiden with his buddies Hudson and Preston who also made some Star Wars friends


Paige had a Thanksgiving performance at school on Tuesday night. She was the sweetest little Pilgrim (she told me today she also made an Indian costume.) I got back her school pictures and was so relieved that they were picture perfect. I will get them in the mail to you all in a few days.

"Turkey Turkey, Gobble Gobble, Ate Too Much And Wobble Wobble"




Just after the performance with the turkey and her teacher Mrs. Khan


Doesn't she make for the cutest Pilgrim?!


Paige with her friend Jacqueline, just precious together!


Kidergarten 10/2009


Jon and I found the perfect swingset for the kids' Christmas present. I didn't want to bring a ton of toys into the house and knew it would be the best thing we could spend our money on with 3 kids and an empty backyard. Now we just have to figure out how to make the magic happen (Jon and a friend plan on putting it together as the delivery/set-up cost was over $600+ for them to do it...eek!) and get it up without the kids seeing it for Christmas morning.

I am buying each of the kids a few things though (of course Harlow needs some baby girl toys since she won't be jumping on that playset quite yet) on their wish list, since with winter around the corner it will be a couple of months before they will get to take full advantage of the swingset.

I am really looking forward to next week, Paige is off of school all week for the holiday and I have some really fun events planned for the kids.

Paige goes for a Run, Harlow sucks her Thumb & Aiden sure is Fun

Well my title sums up this very busy fun filled week for us.

Paige had Boosterthon Fun Run fundraiser at her school yesterday. Jon, Aiden & I (with Harlow sleeping on me in her sling) had so much fun cheering her on at the sidelines. I couldn't help but get a little teary eyed watching my little girl run 24 laps to raise money for her school. Thank you so much for those that supported her with donations, she was so excited to get some Boosterthon goodies which included a glow in the dark Frisbee, shoe laces, wrist band watch and a headband. The night before the run she even slept with the headband on, it was so sweet!

Cheering his sister on


Aiden entertaining himself


GO Paige GO!


My two favorite men






She ran 24 laps


Harlow started to officially suck her thumb yesterday. She has found it and sucked on it on occasion but starting yesterday it became her constant self-soother tool; Jon and I are happy about it because she sure is cute sucking her little thumb. I also think it's a great tool for her to use to soothe herself when mommy can't come running right away. Paige sucked her thumb when she was a baby and we were able to break her of it by the time she was 2 so I am not stressing about any long term thumb sucking problems.

Today in her swing




Aiden and I sure have been having fun this Halloween week. We have done a lot of Halloween crafts together and he had a great time at My Gym yesterday wearing his adorable Peter Pan costume. After I finish on this Blog we will make another craft together, some spooky ghosts using his feet. I make this craft every year with the kids, it's fun to see how much they have grown since the last year.

Aiden enjoying his lunch today


We are really looking forward to Halloween on Saturday and also a visit from my dad and Connie. Stay safe this Halloween and have a fun time trick-or-treating on Halloween night.