Chuckie Cheese Fun

This past week Johnny has been going through the post Christmas neediness. He has been very cuddly and wants us to do everything with him, he has a ton of pent up energy so we thought we would splurge and take a family trip to Chuckie Cheese.

This is not our first trip and won't be our last, so I tried to limit the pictures I am posting about it, but that is hard, we had such a fun time together.

We ate dinner before we got there so there was no need for pizza, JUST TONS OF GAMES!

Thanks to Grams and Pops for letting us break into their token stash, we used them all. Johnny played constantly for 2 full hours.

Quickly Johnny started to like the games that gave tickets more then just had a game. So our goal to earning as many tickets as possible started. It was really just fun to see how many we could get.

Just a little at a time....

Or maybe more then a little.

Even Lily got in on the excitement!

Lily tried the little games, and like the slide, but we where scared she could fly right off.

Her favorite game is still Daddy! He makes her smile and giggle no matter what, as soon as she sees his face. And Daddy loves to make her smile!!

Johnny also went back to the little kid toys, but he was nearly board by them, and I feel like he looks a little silly on this tiny carousel.


So in the end we earned 646 tickets! We where all VERY proud and excited to get to the counter and see what Johnny could get. Then Shawn and I took a long look at all the junk we could buy at the dollar store. It was a small moment when I was sad that Johnny wasn't going to get anything "good" for all of our "work" when I looked at his shinnying face and realized it had nothing to do with what he got, but how much fun we ALL had TOGETHER earning the tickets and playing games.

We picked out this Chuckie Cheese water squirter! Can you see that smile? It was like someone handed him the world.

Chuckie Cheese Water Squiter- 500 tickets
plastic spider- 100 tickets
2 silly straws- 40 tickets
plastic snake- 6 tickets
2 hours of hearing Johnny giggle like a mad man- PRICELESS!

and an ice cream cone to make this day the best day ever! (can you see Daddy kissing Johnny's head? I just love it when he does that)

This is one of those day I will remember in 15 years when they are slamming doors and storming to their rooms. My babies, I love them more then anything in the world.

A Snow Day!

Maryland got just enough snow to close down schools. So really this shouldn't have affected us or been like any other day, except that Mommy got very sick last night. The Army, to our shock and amazement, let Daddy take a day of leave and come home to take care of us. So we had Daddy all day and a fresh layer of snow on the ground!

Lily and Mommy didn't really need to be outside for long, but we did anyway. Poor Lily was all bundled up and couldn't move...at all! Nor could we get her to bend in the middle, hence the awkward picture.

Daddy moved all of the snow from the drive way into one gigantic pile for Johnny to play in. I wish I had taken a video, his laugh was just outrageous and very contagious.

Then Daddy decided to teach Johnny how to build and throw a snowball.

That's right, get Daddy!

Or Daddy will get you! I don't think Johnny stopped laugh for a single minute!


Good shot big boy!Lily's first real snow, I am not sure she could even feel it in that suit.

But Daddy thought he would try something else to get Lily to like the snow....

BABY SNOW ANGEL!!! Johnny wouldn't lay down, he was getting very cold.

And the cure for a cold toddler, a cup of nice warm (not hot!) hot coco!!!

Despite being sick it was a nice day :)

Puzzle Fun, and more

He might be crazy, but he is mine!

Did I mention that I love the crazy? Look at those eyes!!

Johnny loves puzzles right now, him and Daddy always spend time just the two of them right after he gets home from work, Johnny looks forward to it all day.

Shawn was teaching Johnny how to put the puzzles together, finding the corners and edges, then matching colors and pieces that go together.

Of course Johnny picked it up fast and didn't want to stop. He wanted to keep taking them apart and putting them back together.

Alllll done! So proud! He was almost amazed by the pictures that formed when he put the pieces together, like he didn't expect to see a lion, a hippo, or a giraffe and kept telling me that they where there so I would believe it.

While Johnny and Daddy put puzzles together I was on the phone with Grams to get a special surprise. Meet Minnie Mouse. My parents adopted this tiny fuzzy dog about 3 years ago and have trained and cared for her. Shawn and I have talked on and off about getting a dog for a while, we didn't want more poop in the house, God knows we don't need any more poop in the house. But Minnie Mouse is fully trained and really good with the kids. She is going to stay with us for a few weeks and if we all settle in together she can be our dog!

She doesn't want much, her bed, some pets and to know where the people are (she follows me around the house) I really love having her here, and so do the kids!


Now that Christmas is over and everyone has their warm weather knit stuff I have a new season to knit for, Spring! I am making this Crayon Caddy for fun, this sweater for Johnny's birthday, this sweater and this hat for Lily's 1st Easter, and this one for Johnny to match her. I love knitting!

We are hoping to get some snow tonight and maybe have a snow day tomorrow! Wish us luck :)

A Week Full of Growing Up

At the beginning of this week I posted Lily's 7 month update, but in the past week Lily has really changed and made some developmental leaps that I didn't want to leave out.

She can easily get up on her hands and knees and rock back and forth, she could start crawling any day!

She has started to refuse being swaddled. Any time we swaddle her to go to sleep, she breaks free before falling asleep. So bye bye Swaddler! She can also easily put herself back to sleep, I have heard her cough then talk to herself a little before just going back to sleep with no help from her parents.

She has officially gotten rid of her swing! She just won't sit in it, but tries to throw herself out of it head first, and if that doesn't work she just yells! We have taken it out of the living room and reorganized the furniture so she has more free room to get around on the floor. What a big girl!

I didn't want to leave Johnny out, but he has been sick for a few days now and has spent his days like this, watching movies and drinking juice. Here is hoping no more vomiting, fevers or running noises and a nice quite week end.

Lily Covered in Carrots

So I don't mean to post everyday, but the kids seem to do something cute everyday.

This evening Lily didn't want to finish her carrots, so what does every good mother do? Let the baby play in them.

Getting messy is just so much fun.

This is the fun of being a baby, you can't cover your self in carrots as an adult.

My happiest baby can't be happy all the time.

A Picture A Day

In the new year I thought it would be fun to do a 365 blog, a picture EVERY DAY of Johnny and Lily together. There are 27 months and two weeks between this brother and sister, right now Lily is Johnny's favorite toy and he makes her smile and giggle like no one else can. They will grow up as each others first friend and they will impact who the other will grow up to be! There are few relationship that will be as important as this relationship between brother and sister.

365 Branson Kids

Lets see how long I can keep it up, already I am missing a picture for the 2ed and 3rd.

Lily is 7 Months Old

Another month gone and Lily is another month older. It has been a busy month and Lily keeps growing through it all. So lets see if Mommy can figure out just how much she has grown.

She gets around very well now, rolling and scooting and never stopping! She can/will no longer be contained. She hates all of the baby gear that keeps her in one place. She loved her swing at one point and now will not sit in it for more then a few minutes, she longs to be free and mobile

She loves her big brother! When ever she is on the floor, which is often, Johnny is right there next to her. They especially love playing nite nite and peek a boo. Johnny can make her laugh like no one else! and she makes him laugh just the same.

Johnny had been doing very well with being gentle with her, he learns quickly that he has to take care of her! He gives her her binky and brings her her toys, but he shares is more often then getting her hers.
Mommy continues to LOVE dressing her up. This month I found a little extra time to make her a this little poncho, it SHOULD last her a while. We have also been working on being more stable while sitting, less wobbling and less falling down.

On New Years Eve Lily gave up her carrier and climbed into her convertible car seat! I think she likes sitting up better and now Johnny can reach her, sometimes all you hear is the two of them giggling back and forth.

That little bit of blond red hair has started to really come in, at least enough for Momma to clip a bow right into her hair, and she left it alone! Plus she looks extra chimpmunky here, so cute. She also babbles "Dada" and "Papa"

And yes Lily's feet are yummy, just in case you where wondering. Lily's daily eating is starting to become more regular. She has three meals, and three bottles every day. She loves her puffs and her Num Nums, but she has started to feed herself anything she can! Green beans and potatoes mostly.

And here she is January 3rd 2011, 7 months old and closer to her first birthday then from her birth. She is more wiggly then ever, grabbing at whatever is within reach and never stopping. She brings happiness to anyone who sees her and will smile at each person a special smile just for them. She can be particular, but if you give her want she wants she will giggle and hug you and her sweet heart will be shown bright on her sleeve.