Summer Fun

Fourth of July Ice Cream Treat

SLIP-N-SLIDE!

Swimming Lessons

We've had a wonderful summer so far! Above are pics of Nicholas learning to write letters (L was his first!), D and N playing in the yard with sprinklers and slip-n-slide, enjoying ice cream, and most recently, battling with light sabers (a gift from our kind neighbors who insist on spoiling the boys and bringing them gifts each time they take a trip!). Hope your summer is just as fun!

May and June

Nicholas playing on his "computer" on the bed as Bumblebee and Iron Man watch

Strawberry picking

Eating ice cream cones on the deck

Ahhh....May and June, two of my favorite months, have passed so quickly! Here are updates on the boys, including recent "funnies:"

Nicholas: At the beginning of May, Nicholas was petrified of the water. We signed him up for swimming lessons at the Y, but he literally screamed each time he had to get into the pool. After about six classes, his comfort level increased, and he started to get in willingly, but had not come close to being able to swim on his own. We decided to sign him up for another round of lessons. Just last week, he started to put his head under the water. On Saturday, he had a breakthrough. Chris took him to our neighborhood pool, and after a couple of hours with Dad, he came home saying, "I can swim!" Yep, no floaties or anything! We are so proud him!

Here are some Nicholas funnies:

• "Mom, can I have some sand appetizer?" (If he hadn't been pointing to the hand sanitizer on the counter, I doubt I could have figured this one out.)

• Bev: Father's Day is coming up! Nicholas: When's it going to be Boy's Day?

• "Dad, you're a nice dad AND a nice engineer." (patting Chris' back)

• "I like my brother, and he likes me, too!"

Daniel: We have entered the "terrible twos!" Screams of "NO!" are a frequent part of D's speech. Running away while laughing hysterically is another daily occurrence. If anyone out there has a solution to the running problem, PLEASE, I beg you, fill me in.

On the positive side, Daniel's vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds- we'd estimate somewhere around 200 words now. It's so amazing to hear him speak and communicate.

He also has a little sense of humor. Anytime we are in the car and he wants to make us laugh, he'll say, "Arby's? McDonald's?" He first said this in the car when we were on the way home from dinner out one night. We had literally just eaten, and the kid was asking to go to McDonald's. Naturally, we burst out laughing at the idea that he could still be hungry. So, now he says it randomly to get laughs.

Another common phrase is "Yummy cake!" This could be said after he tastes anything from toothpaste to a hamburger. Guess it means he likes what he's eating!

Glorious Spring!

This is what I saw when I opened Daniel's bedroom door yesterday morning. Apparently, Nicholas had gotten up, heard his brother awake, and decided to go on in and keep him company! (No complaints here, especially when it allowed us a few more minutes of precious shut-eye.)



More fun at Busch Gardens... We started taking swimsuits so that the boys could play in the water areas there.



This is how the boys stay busy while Chris is out working in the yard. What great helpers! (BTW, these are from a few weeks ago. The woods are completely green and filled in now.)

Daniel sure is strong!

Here is a quick update on the boys themselves:

Nicholas- At his four-year visit, Nicholas weighed about 40 lbs, and is 41 inches tall. This puts him in the 90th percentile for weight and the 75th for height!
We have been learning one new letter from the alphabet each week since the fall, and are now on letter Z! Nicholas is really interested in words, letter sounds, and reading signs. He also likes to count, but we still need to work on number identification.

Recently, I've been reminded that he still craves one-on-one time with me and/or Chris. Since he naps only occasionally now, I try to use part of Daniel's nap time to play games with him and spend time together. A few days ago, we were having a great time playing when I heard Daniel waking up in his room. I said, "Oh, we better go get Daniel!" and Nicholas followed me into his bedroom. We saw D. sitting up in his crib, but Nicholas quickly said, "He's still sleeping! Close the door and let's go play some more!"

Daniel- Daniel now weighs almost 30 lbs! He loves to run around, so he's lost some of those "baby rolls" on his legs, but still has plenty of chubbiness to cuddle.
Daniel is quite taken with trucks, trains, and cars lately. He really enjoys playing at the train table and watching for "diggers" and bulldozers when we are driving around.
He is also quite the chatterbox. On a recent drive, he kept a constant stream of chatter going that sounded something like this: "Hi, digger! Bye-bye digger. Ice cream truck! Ice cream truck! NO! No no no NO! NOT me! My turn. MY TURN. Stop it, honey. Hi mail truck. I like diggers. Bulldozer..." You get the idea. The funny thing is that no one said a word to him during this monologue.

We hope you're having a wonderful spring! Love, Chris, Beverly, and the Boys

A Happy Easter

He is risen indeed! We had a wonderful early service at church on Sunday, celebrating Christ's resurrection. (The weather was chilly, but I was determined to wear my sleeveless dress, and to have Daniel wear the outfit I bought Nicholas two years ago- the one he didn't get to wear because it snowed on Easter!) After church, we returned home to rest for the afternoon, then had a delicious meal with friends. After Busch Gardens on Friday and Nicholas' birthday on Saturday, we were pooped. But, meditating on the cross and the miracle of Jesus' resurrection put everything into perspective. The Easter baskets and new clothes are nice, but ultimately, we are here for His glory.

Nicholas Turns Four

Turning One Year Old, April 2006

Our "baby" turned four years old on Saturday. People told us that the time would fly, and it seems to be true. Here are some pictures from his birthday, and some from birthdays passed:

Just before his second birthday, April 2007

Turning Three, April 2008

Nicholas had an "earthworm" cake.
(Those of you familiar with Max and Ruby will understand this.)

More Busch Gardens

The characters put on a little show at the beginning and end of the meal.

Nicholas wanted to touch Ernie's shoe.

Daniel got a kick out of touching Bert's nose

The boys on one of the Sesame rides

Nicholas and Mom at breakfast

We hit B.G. again today! (We are really making the most of these unlimited summer passes.) This time, we had breakfast with "Elmo and Friends." (BTW, Daniel was considered an "infant," and got to eat for free. Chris and I thought this was hilarious since he ate more than the rest of us. They probably changed that policy after we left!)
Our expectations were exceeded in every way! Bert, Ernie, Cookie Monster, Elmo, and Big Bird walked around and visited with the kids for at least 45 minutes. They joked, entertained, and danced around with the children the whole time. Nicholas thought it was great when Ernie tried to drink his juice. Daniel wasn't frightened at all this time, and judging from the number of times he said "Bert" today, I think he may have a new favorite.

A Day at Busch Gardens

There were lots of rides that the boys could do alone together.

The "kiddie" roller coaster. Chris and Nicholas are in the back row. (It looked pretty scary to me, but Nicholas wasn't frightened at all!)

Nicholas was thrilled to see his favorite characters, but Daniel was a bit more hesitant.

Ernie is Daniel's favorite, but he still didn't want to hug him.

Yesterday was just as close to perfect as you can get. The weather was warm and sunny, and we decided to take the boys to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg (about an hour away) to celebrate Nicholas' birthday early. It was the grand opening of a new Sesame Street section, and there were characters everywhere! B.G. is VERY family friendly. We spent about four hours there, and only did the kid stuff! Both boys had a great time on all the rides, and Nicholas even surprised us by wanting to try out his first roller coaster. The only thing that scared Daniel was when the characters got too close to him. It was an awesome day, and because we're Virginia residents, we get unlimited passes for the summer!