Sunday, April 22, 2012

Ash Cave

The day after Easter we all went to Ash Cave in Hocking Hills State Park with Diane & Clyde (Shane's parents). The weather cooperated and we had true Spring temperatures and a really nice day. A short walk on a path lead to the cave and waterfall.

Are these children being closely controlled?

The Fabulous Five

This smiley face stump was along the path leading to the cave




All three kids had a good time exploring the cave, the sand, the rocks and the water.

Neat!

The waterfall

Shane & Parker on a rock in the water. Diane & Seth are in the background climbing down the rocks.


Feeling the water

Seth posing on the log that he got onto by himself (resulting in wet shoes!)


Stairs to the upper area

Isabelle wrote her name on the rocks (Isabelle Margaret Campbell)

Seth's name in the sand

Made it to the top! Grandma Diane wrote Seth's name on the rock.

View from up the stairs in a previous photo. Close to the center are Carrie & Parker, further back are Clyde & Diane.
Boys and Diane

Family photo attempt. Seth is hiding behind Carrie

Clyde, Diane, Parker & Shane. Photo by Isabelle.
Look back to May 2006...... the last time we visited Ash Cave with Isabelle & Seth almost 6 years ago....


Seth 4 months old

Isabelle 3 years old
Under the waterfall
Looks like fun holding that tree up

 We will definitely visit Ash Cave again!

Parker Uses a Spoon

I think we're a little behind on getting Parker to eat by himself using a spoon and fork, and we're definitely behind on getting him off bottles and using just sippy cups. It's just easier to feed him (not as messy!) and let him use a bottle that he's used to than trying to change things. However, I did sit him down in his high chair and gave him yogurt and a spoon to see if he could figure it out. Indeed he did, and very quickly. He may have ended up with more food on himself than in his mouth, but he seemed pretty happy to be able to use a spoon all by himself!


Tuesday, April 17, 2012

A Second Visit from the Tooth Fairy

Seth lost his second tooth! It was one on the bottom on the right side from this view.


Since it was the same night as the Easter Bunny was expected to visit, we started wondering if they would see each other when they got here. Isabelle decided to write each of them a letter to find out. They were simple letters with only one question that asked each of them if they saw the other one and they had to circle Yes or No. Each one circled No. I guess they made their rounds at different times throughout the night!

Seth has one more tooth on the bottom that is loose and the bottom 2 adult teeth are already coming in nicely.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Easter 2012

Getting ready for Easter, Isabelle, Seth and I colored Easter eggs. Truth be told, Isabelle got bored after 2 eggs so Seth and I finished the rest. Is she really getting too old for this stuff already?




Finished eggs
On Easter morning, we found that the Easter Bunny ate our carrots we left out and then he left goodies for the kids!


Basket of candy and Electronic Monopoly game for Isabelle

Candy and a Nerf gun for Seth (with glow in teh dark discs)

Candy and a bulldozer toy for Parker (he was still asleep during photos)
This was the first year the Easter Bunny hid eggs outside!

Goofy Izzy
 
This yellow egg was hard to spot on the slide


Back inside to eat some candy!
We also had a visit from the Tooth Fairy on the same night! More on that to come...

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Parker's 17-Month Snapshot

17 months old!




At 17 months, Parker still doesn't say any real words. He uses "Ma" to mean lights and to mean Mommy and just about anything else. He has learned to say "Hi-Ya" like he's doing a karate move. Seth was saying it one day and to our surprise Parker started saying it. Now the two of them like to say it back and forth a lot.

Parker watches Baby Einstein movies a lot, sometimes on Isabelle's laptop. He also has gotten closer to our cat Cartman and giggles when he pets him.


Watching Baby Einstein on the laptop

Gotta rest

Petting Cartman, cautiously

Parker has gotten better at climbing and balancing. I found him on top of his toy/train table one day just sitting there playing with his toys. He can climb onto a couple of our chairs, but not the couches yet. He hasn't figured out how to climb over the ottoman at the bottom of the steps yet either. He loves to walk all over the beds and play on the steps. He did learn how to climb up and slide down a small plastic slide we have in the basement and giggles as he slides down it.

Being outside is definitely one of Parker's favorite places to be. He'll walk around our sidewalks and street, play with basketballs and push the wagon around. He also likes wagon, stroller and bike rides.


"Nice doggie"

Boys on bikes
Backyard fun

Parker Pie

Monday, April 2, 2012

April Fools!

How about dessert first, then dinner? Since it's April Fools Day, that's what we decided to do. Or so everyone thought....

For dessert, we had cupcakes.


Seth saw me putting the icing on these and was really excited to have one. I served him one on a plate and as he peeled the foil off, he said,  "Uh, Mom... Did you make these with meatloaf on the bottom?" Why, yes... I did! April Fools! The icing on top was actually mashed potatoes colored green.

For dinner after "dessert", we had what appeared to be fish sticks, mashed potatoes and gravy, peas and carrots, bread and lemonade. Isabelle was good at guessing what each food really was.

Looks good!
However, what we really were going to eat was Kit Kats covered in graham crackers, vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce, cut up colored Tootsie Rolls, pound cake and lemon Jell-O! It was fun to see the kids discover what the foods really were and to try to drink the Jell-O.

You can see the "lemonade" here

Really, Mom?

Mmm... I like these peas!
Parker wasn't fooled!

April Fools!