What's new with the twins? Chloe started ballet and tap at Orange County Performing Arts Academy. To say she loves it is a complete understatement. Chloe walks into our room every morning with her crazy hair and leotard and tights in hand ready to go to dance. No breakfast needed. It's time to go to dance. Like now. And when I try to reason with her and explain that today is not a dance day or if it is that we need to have breakfast first, she typically has a tantrum. She even went as far as waking up on a Sunday night at 2 AM with her leotard and tights crying at the bottom of the stairs. Chloe never wakes up at night, but I told her when I tucked her in that the next day was a dance day, so clearly she remembered! Clayton started soccer and basketball through the city. He loves it. We aren't as thrilled with the program as we were last year, but Clay doesn't know the difference. His smile and focus are precious on the field and court. Clayton is a definite athlete. Papa Jim is already working with him on his shooting form and being the perfectionist he is, Clayton's form is pretty awesome. He is dribbling with both hands and can kick a soccer ball with such precision, form, and accuracy. Stud, for sure! Both are excelling at swimming too. They go once a week for fifteen minutes each. Clayton is swimming beautifully from side to side. He tries to lift and breath and sometimes does get up high enough to get air, but most of the time his little mouth doesn't quite reach the air for him to get a breath. He's super close though to being pool safe. Chloe struggled initially. I felt she lost many of the skills she had from the previous season until a few weeks ago when she had a full lesson since Clayton was sick. All of a sudden it all clicked. She's kicking wonderfully, moving forward, and is almost using her arms regularly. They both "fall in," turn around and get out from the side on their own, jump from the side and swim to the other side, and dive down to the bottom to grab toys and swim them back to the side. Their last big news is they are nighttime potty trained. I really had no interest in pursuing this feat with them as I kind of felt it would happen naturally until I talked with their pediatrician and my friend, Brooke. They both gave me the boost I needed to attempt it and both babes totally blindsided me with their abilities. Clayton went from filling a diaper at night to waking up on his own 1-2 times nightly to go potty and then waking up in a dry pull up in the morning. I don't like the interrupted sleep I get now, but I am so proud of him for doing this purely from discussions he and I had about waking up and going potty rather than doing it in his diaper. Chloe had a few accidents in her pull up initially and then bam, twelve hours, no waking up in the night, and a dry pull up. How the girl does it is beyond me?! About 1-3 times a month they do have an accident in their pull up, so we won't go to undies yet, but I imagine we will soon. So very proud of my two monkeys and just love them to pieces.
Easton boy, oh boy is he all boy. The kid keeps us on our toes. He has no fear at all. Well, except loud noises, like motorcycles and leaf blowers. Otherwise, he is fearless. He's totally untrustworthy on park equipment and around water. To be honest, he should just wear a helmet all of the time! We imagine football is in his future. He's back to two naps a day for a total of about 3-3.5 hours. Now that his "mommy soother" is retired, his new soothers are his Aiden and Anais blankies. He's always held his blankie when it's sleepy time, but it has just been in the last week or so that he goes to his bed, points to it and makes one of his sounds ordering me to get it for him. Easton is working hard on his words, but still just has mainly a plethora of sounds that mean a great deal to him, but not much to us. He definitely says "da da, "daddy," and "mama" with purpose, but everything else isn't quite there yet. Easton loves to shoot baskets, hit baseballs, chase Roxi, play with play dough, pester his brother and sister, push the push toys, and read. His favorite book is a book about puppies. He loves dogs. I think "ga ga" is dog for him. He had part of his first molar in and almost both eye teeth. Easton is a cuddler and is really attached to me. We love him so very much.
Here's some pictures of our little family...
We took Roxi and the trio to Pets Mart for a birthday shopping trip for Rox. They loved meeting the mice, snakes, lizards, kitties, and fish!
Papa and Nonnie took Chloe on a special shopping date and then out to dinner at Francoli's. She had a wonderful time being spoiled by her grandparents.
Upon seeing a camping themed episode of The Fresh Beat Band, Clayton became fixated on going camping. Ryan borrowed his parents tent and we "camped" in the backyard and BBQ'd s'mores on the grill. I'm sure the real thing is in our future...until then Mommy must mentally prepare herself.
Ryan and I had a little getaway to Vegas for our friend Kat's birthday. We really had a great time relaxing, clubbing (been a long time), and being carefree.
Two perfect little beings--Chloe didn't have dance, she just insisted on wearing her leotard!
Lovin' Daddy's fire station!
Clayton and Chloe had a really good swimming lesson, so fro yo it was! One mommy, three munchkins, and ice cream = perfect combination!
Easton wants to be big so badly...one day little man, one day!
Clayton LOVES basketball camp. He's one of the youngest, but is doing so well.
Clayton and Chloe had a special visit from their cousins, Braxten and Emery. They all had a blast swimming and playing in the backyard.
No nap? Get to work, little one! Miniature car car wash. Love Pinterest!
Easton's first time chasing Papa Jim's remote control car...he loved it!
Ready position! Clayton is excelling at soccer and loving every minute of it.
The twins had a picnic with their babies in the playroom.
It is magical watching their imaginations at work!
Little E and his blankie.
It only took 16 months, but Easton can finally use a paci!
The relentless plague taking over my sweet little girl.
Family trip to the movies to see Despicable Me 2!
Finger painting, popsicles, and lots of dirt...just a typical afternoon at our house.
Check! Organization bins for birth through college for all of the babes' paper memorabilia (report cards, awards, pictures, cards, etc.)
Our perfect little dancer.
Exercising with the monkeys is always interesting. They're either doing the exercises with me, pretending my planks are a bridge and crawling under me, or climbing on top of me!
Another of the several summer Pinterest projects...a dress up closet for Chloe. My mom found a free old dresser on someone's driveway and I refinished it. She adores it!
