Happy 5th Birthday, Jennifer Paige!

We all had a wonderful time celebrating Jennifer's fifth birthday!!  She has grown into such a sweet, smart, caring, friendly, outgoing, super cute girl with a flair for the dramatic.  She only likes to wear dresses or skirts, picks out her own clothes, loves everything princess but isn't afraid to get dirty and run around with the boys, likes helping her little brother, and gives some of the best hugs I've ever had!

Jennifer chose to celebrate her birthday at the Magic Wings Butterfly House at the Museum of Life and Science.  We got to the museum early to explore the exhibits for a couple of hours before heading to the party room where the kids got to learn all about butterflies, check out a blue caterpillar, and walk through the butterfly observatory where we got up close with some of the friendliest butterflies ever!  Then it was back to the party room for cake and presents ... Such a fun party!  I still can't believe my baby girl is five!

Zach at 19 months

Zachary is 19 months old already!  I can't believe how fast time is flying by - so fast, in fact, that I haven't even had time to update this blog as regularly as I want to.

Zach is quickly becoming one of those crazy toddler boys who runs, climbs, jumps, and thinks it's funny to fall on top of everything!  He's made up his own language and uses very few real words, but we've figured it out and he's able to communicate what he wants.  He loves his blankies - both of them - and has to have them near him, or know where they are, at all times.  He understands, and is listening, to everything we say ... if we say that we're going to take the trash out, he runs to the trash can, points to the trash bags and leads the way outside to the trash bin!  If we say that we're going to take Amae for a walk he's the first one at the front door and always knows where Amae's leash is (good thing, since I usually don't).  He likes to try to do everything big sister does and thinks that all of her toys are the coolest ever.  He refuses to sit in his booster seat, has figured out how to scale up the side of his changing table, and likes to pick out his own clothes.  He's a smart little cookie and we can't wait to hear what comes out of his mouth as soon as he starts talking!
 

No more booster seat for this guy!  Even though he can barely see the top of the table

Sleeping with both blankies

Pretending to be on stage with sissy

Climbing all over at Little Gym

Walking on the balance beam like a champ!

lake house vacay part two!

 There have been lots of fun rides on the "water couch" ... Jennifer even got flipped off for the first time!

 The weather has been perfect for hanging out on the boat

 These two cuties are inseperable!

 Having breakfast on the porch

 Cousins!

 We went to Dan Nicholas park in Salisbury and had tons of fun on the carousel ...

 ... and on the train ...

 ... we rode the train twice it was such great fun!

 Picking flowers at the yacht club ...

 ... giving their boquet of flowers to Granny : )

 Bryan and Nau in the kayaks!

 Daddy-daughter jet ski ride

 Zachie and Nana on the boat

 Zach got to sit on the jet ski, but no wild rides for him just yet

 Phil's parents joined us for an afternoon of "water couch" fun

Cuties!

Lake house vacay part one

We've been having a super fun vacation at the lake house with lots of family! This is the best kind of vacay*

InterFaith Food Shuttle Teaching Farm

Phil's grandpa, "Poppy" to the kids, has been volunteering at the InterFaith Food Shuttle for 20+ years! We were all excited to get the official tour of their teaching farm, where they grow organic produce and raise chickens, goats and fish. Jennifer and Zachary fell in love with the goats and had a lot of fun feeding them grass. They also enjoyed checking out the chickens and holding worms from the worm farm! We left with fresh eggs, kale, and carrots and plan on making their farm stand our regular spot for fresh local, organic produce!

Wee Tots

Zach had his Wee Tots class this past Wednesday and loved it! It didn't take him long to warm up to the other kids and he had a blast throwing balls and bean bags, sliding, riding on trikes, popping bubbles, and bouncing in the ball pit!

Keeping up

In an attempt to keep up with *everything* his big sister does, Zach's newest-favorite-thing is brushing his teeth. After several attempts to steal his sister's tooth brush and tooth paste, and tantrums from being told no, we finally got him his own tooth brush and baby tooth paste. When he hears Phil or myself ask Jennifer to brush her teeth, Zach gets a huge smile on his face and literally runs toward the bathroom laughing! This boy is crazy!