Park time with Cousin Andrew

 Katie and I met up with Andrew and my sister Sunday afternoon for a park play date while Will slept off his Chicago trip.  He was exhausted from all the fun.

Katie and Andrew had a great time swinging and sliding together.  It was fun to see Katie in her element.  Loli takes the kids to this park every day, so she is so comfortable climbing and running around everywhere.  She was just so happy to be there!

Andrew swinging

Katie sliding

Cousins

How cute is this guy!

in the tunnel

on the go

so happy

Daily Do

 Everyday Loli gives Katie a new do.  It usually involves lots of pony tail holders.  Here was today's look.

Why I love Bruce Springsteen

 Chad loves Bruce Springsteen, and he was so bummed when The Boss decided not to do a show in Dallas this year.  He wanted to travel for a show, and that is when we decided to go to Chicago.  It was perfect!  I could hang out with my one best friends, Demi, and meet her daughter, 9m old Elise, while Chad and Demi's husband Jeff went to the concert. 

So we headed out on Thursday and had a really uneventful flight.  Will and Katie enjoyed the process of getting there - plane, airport, cab - and then loved arriving at Demi's house... that just so happens to 2 parks super close to her house.

It was so fun to spend time with Demi and meet Elise!  She is such a cute baby and I have loved looking at her pictures, and I have to say she is even cuter in person... if that is possible. 

When we arrived we went to one of the parks where there was the largest sandbox I have ever seen!  There were lots of kids out playing in the gorgeous 75 degree weather.  It was great!

Friday, Will took Chad to the Science and Industry Museum while Demi, Elise, Katie and I went shopping and then to an open play place that Katie really enjoyed.  Why don't we have these in Dallas???

Saturday, Jeff took Will to a metal scrap yard (there is probably a better name for this).  It was really awesome - I actually enjoyed it just as much as the boys!  We then got together with Liz, Brian and Dylan for a trip to the zoo and some street tee-ball. 

It was a fabulous trip and I think we will definitely be taking the kids back again soon!  There are so many things to do and for me, it is just so great to spend time with my college girls!

sweet Elise

Huge sandbox

Swinging

On the see saw

Will and the U-Boat (guest photographer Chad Forsberg)

At Open Play - she loved this little house

In the rice box

Love the zoo!  Check out this view!  What a great place - easily could have spent more time here!

Katie and Liz

Will, Katie, Elise and Dylan.  Will was not interested in taking a picture.

Climbing Trees (guest photographer Chad Forsberg)

Hat on.  Ready to see machines crushing metal.

Boy Bliss.

Jeff and Will peeking through the barriers

Check out this magnet

Souvenir from the metal scrap yard

Dumping the bin

Dylan, tee ball super star

Brian coaching Will

Playdate

 Today Armando came over to play.  Will and Katie just love when Armando and Adele come over.  Will and Armando disappear upstairs and Katie and Adele hang out while Zarina and I chat.  It is the perfect playdate.  Everyone gets along so well.

It had been awfully quiet upstairs so we decided to go check on the boys.  They decided to take every toy off of Will's shelves in both his room and in his closet and put them all in the center of his room.  When we found them they were playing quietly on the bed with a crane truck - picking up different things with the hook and then raising them up.  They seemed unphased by the chaos on the floor...

Will's First Sleepover

Will had our neighbor Maddie over for his first sleepover this past Saturday night.  We all had a great time.  Maddie is almost 7 and she and Will play so well together.  Will just adores her.  We have been plotting a sleepover for a while, and we finally did it! 

Maddie came over had dinner and then all the kids took a bath together and had a blast.  Will and Maddie then watched a show on my iPad as a treat before bed.  Then, the fun began.  I loved listening to them on the monitor.  Maddie didn't know I was watching them on the monitor, and when I came in the room to "check on them" she was surprised that I knew all that had gone on!  They had been playing with Will's Star Wars characters and when I mentioned something about it she asked "how did you know that was what we were doing?"  I didn't reveal my secret.

They never came out of Will's room but instead talked and played until about 10pm and then Will woke up around 7am as usual.  I was so pleased they slept all night!  We celebrated the success with a morning trip to Krispy Kreme and to the park.  I have a feeling we will be having a lot of sleepovers!  They are really fun for everyone.  I think Katie loves having a big sister around and Will loves having someone in his bed.

Speaking of, Will is now officially sleeping under his covers!  Thank you Maddie!  He had resisted for this long, but when he realized that was how Maddie sleeps and that it was the best way for he and Maddie to sleep in his bed together, he was sold!

bedtime milk

Mighty Machines before bed

Video recorded from my monitor of Will and Maddie singing Twinkle Twinkle - it is really hard to hear for some reason.  Will then tells Maddie about a scratch on his nose before she tells him it is time to go to sleep!

 

Sunday morning at the park

School Update

 To say Will loved his first day of school would be an understatement.  He had a great day!  He loved playing with rice and scoopers, he talked about the table where he could color and also mentioned the playgrounds.  The rice was the biggest hit. 

Every night before bed I ask him what his favorite thing was that he did that day.  On Monday, it was school and specifically playing with the rice.  He is clear to tell you that the rice is not to eat.

Yesterday was not a school day and before bed I asked him what his favorite thing was of the day.  His answer - school.  I think he was still on the high from Monday.

This morning after he got ready - around 7:45am - he told Chad - "Let's go to school Daddy!"  We don't need to take him until 8:15am, but he would have preferred to go earlier. 

I tried to get a picture of him with his new school bag, but he told me he had a busy day at school and didn't have time for pictures.  I snapped these few on his way out the door.  Katie loves carrying his bag around - today it had a blankie and his teddy bear (the one you gave him Amye!).

Baby Katie

 I rarely put Katie in anything put pastels because she looks too grown up in bright and dark colors.  I just loved this cute dress and had to get it for her, and sure enough, she looks like a 2 year old (or more!) when she wears it.

Katie is busy being a little mama (as Chad calls her) these days.  She is always tending to her babies, pushing them in the stroller, using wipes on them, rocking them and taking them on car trips.  She just loves having her baby with her.  It makes my heart happy to see this - I was the exact same way when I was little and I was hoping she would like dolls. 

She is also keeping us laughing - she has quite a sense of humor and surprises us with her little tricks and jokes.  She is a joy to have in our family and I honestly have a hard time remembering what life was like with only Will!