Disney World!

My sister is working at Disney's Animal Kingdom this summer, so my parents planned a wonderful family vacation. My parents, grandparents, and all my siblings were there - FUN! We visited all the Disney parks and relaxed in the pool at our rental house. Both Lincoln and Ellie just loved all the extra people to play with, and we all loved the warm (HOT!) weather and time together.

I think Link was in shock at Magic Kingdom - how do you explain all sorts of crazy themed rides to a 3 year-old?! Going from space, to pirates, to Mickey Mouse must be a bit confusing! He's been really into Toy Story lately, so he loved the Buzz Lightyear ride and was SO excited to meet Woody and Jessie.


Ellie was a good girl, even though she could only go on a handful of rides.




Ellie practicing her standing at the fish tanks in Epcot:


I'd say Lincoln's favorite "ride" was playing in the water fountains at Epcot. He ran around for over an hour just loving it. (Yes, I've become one of those parents who lets their child run around in a diaper at a theme park...oh boy)


Us "kids" even got away for an evening to hit up the big rides at Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom while the grandparents and great-grandparents watched the kids. (Thank you!!) My sisters, brother, and sister-in-law in line for the new Toy Story ride:


On our way to the airport Lincoln asked "Go to Disney World again?" We all had such a great time, none of us wanted to come back home.

A Boy and his Boots

Lincoln can't quite get over the fact that it isn't going to snow anymore this season. Here he is getting sprayed by the hose in 85+ degree weather while wearing his snow boots.

Ellie 9 Months

9 months seems like a LONG time ago - we were living across the ocean, we didn't know what to do with two children, and Elizabeth was a helpless newborn. She has become this beautiful little girl just brimming with personality.



Ellie:
- Is cutting her 6th tooth (2 on the top, 4 on the bottom)
- Learned to pull herself up in her crib - and peeks through the slats as I leave the room...so cute and sad!
- LOVES "real" food - if there is some real food being eaten around her she wants nothing to do with her baby food or puffs
- Adores Link and loves to wrestle with him on the floor (she's a pretty worthy opponent!)
- Still crawls by sliding along the floor on her belly - but man, she is fast!
- Can clap and wave "hi" or "bye"
- Charms everyone wherever we go! I always say, my kids make me a lot of friends!
- Is just a joy to be around and is our special little girl. I can't imagine life without her.

(Compare to Lincoln 9 months here)

Potty Training Progress

I really thought it would never happen... but last week Link surprised us with his initiative to use the toilet. Maybe it was a month of reading books about "being a big boy" and using the potty, or maybe it was our neighbor asking him "You still wear diapers??!" - but whatever it was, his interest was sparked and he is off and running.

On Sunday the 18th he was presumably stalling from his nap when he said "Use the potty?", so Ryan took him in - and lo and behold - he went! Wow! I was stunned. He went again later that day, and Ryan upped the ante and told him if he went 2 more times he would get a special "Crocodile Train" he'd been wanting. Well, I guess that was the incentive Lincoln needed, because he was determined to get his "cropadile". The next morning we were off to Toys R Us to buy the coveted "Cropadile"...and many more trains to keep up his interest.

I made a special sticker chart for him, with every 3 potty times getting a train car. He has whizzed through 2 charts already (and now he has to go 5 times, and the prize is a Matchbox car...much less expensive!) and he is doing great. The other incentive he likes almost as much as the cars/trains? A hip-hip-hooray from mom and anyone else at home! It is so cute - he just beams and says "3 cheers for Lincoln!"

He is still reluctant to wear underwear all the time, but he does seem to especially like the "Wall E" and "Dash" ones he picked out. I have him wear the underwear a couple hours a day at a stretch, but haven't been brave enough for him to try them out of the house or for naps. He has used the potty at Arby's (yuck), McDonalds (eww), and church successfully, too!

I'm sure we still have a long road ahead of us, but I feel like we are making some serious progress! I may not have a kid going to school in diapers after all!

Big Kids

I read a lot of blogs where moms post their babies "stats" - a funny concept, if you think about it. I'm happy not to post my height and weight every few months!

More for my own record keeping, rather than to brag (are measurements something to brag about?? I guess I can be proud that they eat so much?...or maybe I should be embarrassed!!) here are their latest standings:


Lincoln at 3 years old:
weight: 36 lbs (75-90%)
height: 38.5" (75%)


Ellie at 6 3/4 months old:
weight: 19 lb 3 oz (90-95% percentile)
height: 28.5" (off the chart - the tallest baby girl there ever was??! haha)

Regardless of their size, they sure are cute!

Easter Festivities

Our Easter weekend started out with an egg hunt with our playgroup friends on Friday.

Ellie chatted with her friends on the quilt:


Link searched for eggs and tasted the sweet rewards:


Then on Saturday we headed to the Turtle Back Zoo. It was only about 20 minutes away, so we opted for the year membership in hopes of returning several more times.

Easily Lincoln's favorite part of the zoo - the train ride!


Cute boy playing at the zoo playground


I realized Easter morning that I hadn't given Lincoln any instructions regarding what to do when he woke up. He knew that the Easter Bunny was coming, but I didn't tell him to wake us up, or wait to go downstairs, etc. So I was a little nervous when I heard doors opening and closing in the morning - we came out of our room to find this:

Lincoln had gotten dressed (notice the backwards shirt), went downstairs to the kitchen and helped himself to a peanut bar, and went back upstairs and was waiting outside his room with his shoes next to the stairs. The Easter baskets were right downstairs - so he either didn't see them, or was an extremely patient and good boy to wait for us!

"Ooh, Snow Trooper!"

Mmmmm...chocolate bunny


Ellie got some Puffs, binkys, and books from the EB; but liked playing with the plastic eggs even more!


Lincoln had lots of fun looking for eggs in the yard - shaking each one, and opening a few of them immediately, only to spew candy all over the grass. He picked up one egg and said "Worm!" but I looked at it and didn't see anything. It was only after opening the egg that I noticed the slug that had squeezed in the egg through the tiny air hole in the bottom - yuck! (I was too grossed out to take a picture) After that he would pick up an egg, look at it, and declare "No worm!" before putting it in his basket. :)

Link's Sister?

Today whilst battling the Wal-Mart pre-Easter crowd I was mistaken for Lincoln's sister.

Little girl: "Why is her brother blowing bubbles in the store?" (Yes, Link found the huge bottle of bubble mixture in the cart, opened it, and was blowing bubbles...but that's another story)

Girl's mom: "That's not her brother, it's her son"


I guess I'm at the age when I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult. Do other people think I am my kids' nanny or sister? I surely look old enough to be a mom...right? [you don't have to answer that] :)


A little something I copied from this website, but then made it with paper since I don't have a sewing machine. Peeps and Easter go hand in hand!