Valentine's Day

We picked up the boys on Valentine's Day so we could enjoy the day together and so their parents could enjoy the day together.  A win-win in my mind.

We started with breakfast in the car on the way to the museum.

All my boys in front of a mural while we waited to go to the planetarium to see Big Bird explain the stars.  When we first went in Trevin kept saying "this not fun, this scary".  As soon as Big Bird and Elmo appeared he changed to "this fun, not scary".

He walked around most of the day with the map in his pocket and we had to show him where we were.  Later on he kept showing us where we had been.

The is a special exhibit on whales and it was great.  They boys were very interested.  Trevin sat and watched the movie of all the whales for quite some time.  Kaiden like the demo film of how whales dive deep into the ocean and catch (and eat) their prey.

Scuba divers!

The museum built a new kid's discovery zone and it is great.  They loved the water way.  There were paths to float balls, different sprayers, paddle wheels to turn and on and on.

Kaiden was very interested in the area to build a dam.  There were also water jets that would arc up and into other areas.  The boys really liked those.

They are watching a puppet show about going to the moon.

Here they are building a space ship.

We all had a great time!

Whoopee!

At Christmas, we played a gift exchange game and Trevin ended up with a whoopee cushion.  He wasn't sure what it was.  After we had him sit on it the first time, he couldn't figure out what had happened.

After a few times and seeing everyone laughing, he was delighted.

Best Birthday Ever!

We celebrated Kaiden's birthday on Saturday.

He enjoyed reading his cards.

Everything he opened he declared "this is the best birthday ever!"

He had a beautiful birthday cake.

Six!

Happy Birthday Kaiden.  Six.  Years. Old!  These years have gone by so fast, we love you so much.  

Memories

I need to be more consistent about writing down the things the kids say and do that I don't want to forget, because I do.  I will be driving to work and think of something and say I need to write that down or I am going to forget it, then a couple days later I think "now what was that again?"  But here are a few things I have remember long enough to write them down.

• I am convinced Trevin is either going to be a comedian or the world's biggest tease since my father.  After he finally started saying Gram he has taken to calling Tito "Toto".  Tito keeps correcting him, but he will just say Toto again and smile the biggest smile.
• One day I complimented Kaiden on sharing something with his brother.  He told me "Mom told me I needed to share and I thought about it and decided it was good, so I do".
• The other day we stopped by the kid's house and when we were ready to leave I think Trevin thought he was coming with us.  When it came clear he wasn't, he pointed to our car and said "Time to go".
• I want to always remember Trevin's sweet voice singing "Let it go, Let it go"
• I love when Kaiden says "This is the best day ever." or "That's the way God made me."
• The way Trevin galloped to the park to meet Kaiden's bus.
• The delight on Kaiden's face when he figures out words he can read and spell.
• Trevin going up for children's sermons even when Kaiden doesn't go up.
• The boys skipping and singing "Skip to my loop".
• Trevin's sweet voice waking me up even if it is at 4 a.m.

Baby Jesus

When I was putting our Christmas decorations away today, I had to take this picture of the Nativity after Kaiden rearranged it.  He didn't like the way I had it set up because not everyone could see Baby Jesus.  

Christmas Cookies

The boys come over to help me bake cookies.

Then we had to decorate the cookies.

I think that was their favorite part.

Or maybe eating the decorations was their favorite part.  This is Trevins "I didn't just eat a handful of chocolate chips," look.

The finished product.  They like making faces, so we have faces on stockings, stars, bells as well as snowmen and gingerbread men.

Footnotes:  The smudge on the pictures is a cookie dough print on the camera.  The aprons became capes as soon as we were finished.