Arboretum

So yesterday we dropped Addie at my mil's house and the boys and I headed out to the arboretum for the afternoon. They had a blast. We have not been in awhile because our membership had expired( hint hint mom!!!) but Wednesday is discounted so I decided why not. Everytime we go Alex has a blast but this was the first time Zach has been since he was about 20 months old, and he LOVED it. I mean what kid doesn't like playing in water, pumping water, walking through water, and then going and climbing on big bridges made of rope!!


They would have stayed all day had we had the time to do that. Alex loved the toad pond. This is the first time that we have been when the tadpoles her turning into frogs and toads so he was all about finding frogs...which he did. Once he figured out to look in the weeds he was finding them all over the place.

Zach just liked walking through the water..he held a frog but couldn't care less about it.
The ropes course they both love. Zach is finally big enough to do it on his own...slowly but on his own!He went through the first one twice, taking his time and watching his every step. I thought maybe once he got up the ladder and saw how high up the bridge was he might have been scared, but then I remembered its Zach and that kid has no fear. Well all my kids have no fear!

After playing a little more in water and building a damn with all the rocks we moved to the big tree house with more rope bridges and the boys just ran through it at least 10 times. They had too much fun!!! And then we were off to the big maze before we left. It was a fun day for everyone, a long and hot day, but a fun day. I can not wait until Addie is old enough to go and really be able to enjoy it.

who needs baby sign language??

I understand that some kids are late talkers. And I understand that it is hard to communicate with a toddler so some people use baby sign language. This however has never been a problem in our house. By 15 months Alex was talking very well, but 18 months he had a vocabulary like a 2-2.5 year old. Zach was a little slower but by 2 had a very good vocab. As for Addie she is almost 18 months a has quite a few words..
hi,hello,daddy,mommy,mama,Zach,monkey,grandpa,no,yes,and Alex. But she also has her own ways of letting us know exactly what she wants.
I have a big blue bucket that I keep the diapers and wipes in and anytime she poops she walks right over to it, grabs the wipes and a diaper and brings them to you. When she is hungry she grabs the tray of her booster seat and brings it too you. We have never had a problem with her sleeping or napping..knock on wood..and to this day she is super easy to put down. When you tell her it is time for bed she grabs her monkey and walks to her room and knocks on the door so you open it. When you ask her where her monkey,aka her best friend is, she will walk to any room in the house that it is in doing her funny little laugh.
When you tell her it is time to get shoes on she grabs hers and sits right down. The girl LOVES shoes. And if she sees you getting ready to leave she will bring you your shoes. And when it is time to leave she will walk to the gate and just wait until you are ready to open it.
I am not going to lie, all my kids are geniuses( I might be biased) but I can not believe how smart and easy going this kid is. All 3 of them have been very easy kids ( yes, we are super lucky), but I think the more I have the easier they get. She has her moments, after all she is a toddler, but most of the time she is a laid back, easy going, adorable little girl. I think everyone will agree she is just like her mom. :)

Quick kid update

Alex- He is loving his summer program which is great. They had a field trip last week and tomorrow are headed to the shedd.And in a couple weeks they are going to the museum of science and industry. Once this summer program is over he will have a week off and then he starts football...practice 5 days a week until 1st grade starts, and then 3days a week plus games. He is also doing really well with his skateboarding and has learned some cool tricks so far.

Zach- Ahhh my 3 year old. Otherwise known as our sour patch kid. One minute hes as sweet as can be and in the flash of an eye he is a demon!!! And then he is back to being sweet. HE constantly is telling us that he loves us, and his new thing is to come and whisper it to us. Its really cute. I think he tells me at least 30 times a day, I love it and I know it won't last forever. He was in gymnastics and we will be signing him up soon for another class because he loves it and keeps asking when he can go back. He will also be starting preschool in September.

Addie- Well she is a full blown toddler. She is walking, talking and letting everyone know that she is around! And she has no problem letting you know when she is mad that she did not get her way. She will be taking her first trip to Colorado in a couple weeks, and I know my mom can not wait to see her again. She has so many words now it is crazy!!! And I am also hoping to get her into gymnastics once Zach starts preschool. She is still a big cuddle bug and loves to give hugs and kisses, which is adorable.

I guess that is it for now. All the kids are still growing well. I think we might have some tall ones on our hands later in life. They are all still very personable and outgoing kids which I love and all love to be as independent as we will let them, which is also another great thing! And of course they are still the 3 cutest kids ever!

Fathers day!

Well its fathers day so I need to wish my dad and my husband a happy fathers day! Here they are!


Rob is a great dad to our 3 very loud, very crazy, very adorable kids. He loves to take Alex golfing, Zach will be joining soon, has coached baseball,will play video games with Alex, and will sit through Beauty and the Beast because that's what we have picked for movie night and the boys want him to join. Addie has him wrapped around her little finger with her constant "daddy,daddy,daddy"...I think he is going to be a pushover when it comes to her.
As for my dad not only is he a great dad but also a great grandpa for our kids. He watches them for us all the time which is great.HE will take them to the forest preserve for a walk, or take Alex out bike riding, and even brave getting on a plane and flying with a kid under 2 by himself! We haven't always had the best relationship but it has defiantly gotten better in the last 12 years. He has become quite the comedian in the last few years ( I think I am rubbing off on him)He has always just wanted what was best for us, and even though when I was younger I might not have realized after having my own kids I understand. We joke around with each other a lot, and he gets along with Rob great which is awesome. They are able to talk about their jobs and I am able to watch my reality TV and not have to listen to them. :)
So I am going to wish them both a very happy fathers day! I love you both!

my house???maybe???

Like a lot of women I know I sit around and dream about the house that maybe one day we will own...or at least something like it. I would love to have a endless bank account so i could just have my house built the way I want it...I mean who wouldn't!
I have always loved plantation houses. And if we ever move maybe I can get one.

I love the design of these. I love the porches. If its not a plantation house I would also take a Victorian home. Of course I married a man that loves a very modern home so it will be interesting when we move and buy again what we decide on. Another thing I need is a BIG kitchen. I love to cook and bake and hope to one day have a kitchen that no matter how hard I try I can not clutter it.

A island is a must have for me along with a duel oven and maybe even someone to just follow me around and clean up after I cook. :) okay maybe that last one is a little greedy!
Now they always say there are 2 rooms that sell a house for women. First is the kitchen second is the master bath. Oh I would love to have my own bathroom. Rob can share with the kids :) A place to relax. To sip a glass of wine in the jacuzzi and read a magazine, with the door locked so no kids can interrupt me!

I want a duel headed shower as well and I want it tiles all the way up and on the ceiling as well. I would also love to have a shower that is big enough to have a bench in it. Why...because sometimes I just don't feel like standing :) Not to mention shaving my legs would be so much easier!
And after spending the day loving my house and taking care of the kids...and rob.. I would not be upset if this was in my backyard.

I mean really who would complain if this was in their yard???and just so the kids don't feel left out we will also have this in the yard...

One day maybe I will have a house with some or all of these things...and when I do you are all free to come over whenever you want!!! I will also have a full stocked bar in my basement!!!

Zoo Day

So it has been BEAUTIFUL in Chicago this past week or so. I mean mid 70's and sunny. Perfect weather for a trip to the zoo. We have not been since October so it was due time to get there and enjoy. Which we did. We saw almost all the animals today.We played at the parks that are there. We did some face painting.


And of course the kids asked a million questions. This is the first time that Addie has been since she was a little baby and I think she likes it. She was a little scared of the rhino, but totally loved the otters and watching them swim.
The boys loved the penguins like always. They could not get to them fast enough. They also got to pet a python boa constrictor( no thank you) which they thought was really cool. I think having a membership to the zoo is a must have when you have kids. They love it and I get a great workout walking around for hours and pushing a stroller with 1 or 2 kids in it. So really it is a win win for everyone!

Hello Heat!

The beginning of this week started out sunny and HOT...I mean 90's-100's. It was HOT!! And what do you do when you have 3 kids and sunshine...take them swimming of course!Alex spent most of the day in the larger pool going down the water slide with the big kids(gotta love friends who have older kids)and Zach went down the water slide a few times too..with us catching him of course. And I even did a back flip off the diving board. Its been about 10 years but its like riding a bike..you never forget how. Here are a few pics of our trip to the pool with a couple of my friends.

2 Peas in a Pod

That's Zach and Addie...2 peas in a pod. They LOVE eachother. Since they are usually up earlier than Alex they are turning into best buds. The minute Addie wakes up Zach will announce it and run and open her bedroom door. All morning they play until Alex wakes up, and for the most part they get together really well. And anything Zach is doing he will ask if the baby can do it as well...which is pretty darn cute.

It stays the same

I am not taking the job. Not only was the dad a totally asshole, but I decided it is just not worth it. These years go by so fast with the kids and I really do not want to miss things. I do not want to miss Zach and Addie starting preschool. I don't want to miss everything Alex will be doing in first grade and with his football starting.And I really also want to get Addie into gymnastics and I have to be around to do that. Even though the extra money would have been nice my kids are more important. We have been living off Robs salary for almost a year and a half and we are doing just fine. I might have to wait a little longer to move but I am okay with that.
So for now it looks like our summer will be filled with days at the pool, park and splash pads. Zoo trips, playdates, arboretum trips and anything else we can come up with. Which is fine with me. If the kids are tired, sweaty, dirty and stinky at the end of the day than I have done my job well.