Happy Easter!

Here are some photos of the boys on Easter morning. We were all a little weary from a nearly sleepless night. Poor Michael and Connor both had terrible coughs and stuffy noses. Michael was a little worse and could not sleep the entire the night. Around 3 a.m., Phil and I decided to use the nebulizer on him to open up his airways. The mask made him so angry and he screamed and swatted at it until we stopped. He finally fell asleep around 4:00 a.m., buckled into his carseat on the bed in between me and Phil. I think sleeping upright did the trick and helped clear his head a little. Connor must have gotten the memo that Michael had fallen asleep because he decided to wake up bright and early at 6:15 a.m. Amazingly, I was able to keep him away from the Easter baskets until around 8:15 a.m. so that Mom, Dad and Mimi could have a chance to drink some coffee. Although the Bunny brought Connor blocks, flower pots and seeds, puzzles and crayons, his favorite gift by far was a chocolate bunny ("Cha-cha Bunny") - actually two chocolate bunnies riding a motorcycle. As you can see, an exhausted yet good-spirited Michael really just loved the basket. Connor only had to body slam his little brother once over ownership to some animal puzzles. He still disputes the fact that they were in Michael's basket. Later in the day, Connor and his Dad went for a bike ride along the river and saw turtles on the rocks. He also had some fun playing with golf balls and buckets of water in the yard. Aunt Mimi made an Easter feast - Turkey, stuffing, and homemade green bean casserole. What started off a little rough turned into a very beautiful day.

Happy Birthday Bubba!

This weekend DeeDee and Bubba came to Richmond for a visit. On Friday night, we celebrated Bubba's birthday. Connor was so excited all week to sing "Happy Booday" and to blow out the birthday candles. In preparation for the big event, we practiced singing the birthday song several times. Connor would get very angry with me when I sang "Happy Birthday to you," and would correct me, "Not Happy Booday to you, Mamma. Happy Booday to Bubba. Not you." Michael was also pretty excited to be included in the festivities. He enjoyed eating spaghetti dinner for the first time (Anna also enjoyed feasting on the pile of pasta under his chair) and he munched on the vanilla cake portion of the cupcake (no chocolate until his first birthday). Here are some photos of the boys and their grandpa blowing out the candles. You can see one of Bubba's big gifts on the table. It's a beer stein that Connor made for him at Color Me Mine, the ceramics store in Shortpump. Connor chose the colors (a masculine combination of aqua and mango), and he signed his work with two blue hand prints. I think my Dad really enjoyed the gift, although he did ask if he could leave it here in Richmond.

Cooking with Dad

Connor has been coming up with all sorts of unique ways to stay up a little later. Tonight he decided he really wanted to watch his Daddy cook Chicken Pot Pie. He had a little trouble with the culinary rule that you should try to keep your feet off the cutting board.

Michael

Young @ Art

This is our second week of Young @ Art, an art program for two to five year olds at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts http://www.vmfa.state.va.us/Calendar_and_Events/Kids_Programs/Young_@_Art.aspx

We go every Tuesday morning and Connor is really loving it. Each month has a different theme. The theme for March was "Discover Virginia" and focused on some of the exhibits on loan from the Jamestown Museum. Each week the children have playtime, listen to a story, visit an exhibit in the museum and then make an art project related to the exhibit.

I was so surprised to see how well Connor listens to the teacher. I was expecting him to give her the same look that he gives me when I try to tell him to do something, the look that says "not now, Mom." Instead, when the teacher says, "Connor, can you find a spot on the rug to sit for story time?" or "Connor, can you show the children what you made?" he smiles a little nervously and follows her instructions. He especially likes when the teacher gives the museum rules at the beginning of each class. The rules are (1) Walk like we're tip-toeing, (2) Talk with really low voices, and (3) Do not no touch the art. Connor then proceeds to creep slowly around the museum with his lips pursed shut and his hands behind his back.

Poor Michael. As usual, art class falls right during his nap time. I bring a bottle, some Baby Mumm-Mumms, and some toys to try to keep him happy but he starts to get a little grumpy the last ten minutes of class. When class begins, he plays on the rug with all the other children and has a blast licking and eating all the toys. Then he is relegated to his stroller for the remainder of class. I keep telling him it will be his turn very soon.

Here are some photos of Connor and Michael the first week of class, outside in the scupture garden as well as some photos of Connor in class today. He loved using the glue.

Picasso

Connor has always loved his crayons and coloring books so we decided to see whether he would show any interest in painting. A few weeks ago we bought him an easel, paper, chalk and paints from Toys That Teach. Phil put the easel together on a Tuesday night. We set it up on the porch, where the least damage could be done, and Connor immediately got to work.

He keeps a leisurely art schedule, allowing breaks during the day for food, trains, "shee-an box" (sandbox) and walking around the yard. He usually does his best work in the morning after he chugs a sippy cup of "baby-ro" (baby yogurt).

Here are some of his finest pieces so far. You may notice that his new found interest in painting has coincided with an obsession with elephants. If you happen to be near Connor while he is painting, he will ask you to draw your best "Whoo-whoo" (elephant). Although he is rather demanding that you at least try, he is never judgmental about the outcome. I think that is one of his greatest characteristics.

Let's Make Music Together

Here are some photos of Connor and Michael after music class this morning. We have been coming to the JCC for a music program called Let's Make Music Together since Connor was six months old. LMMTVA.com His favorite songs right now are "Me, me, me" and "Pony Galloping." We listen to the music class CDs in the car everywhere we go and whoever puts him to bed has to sing the Pony song until he falls asleep. Michael has been auditing the music class since the week he was born. This is the first semester that he is officially enrolled as a student. Michael loves smiling at everyone and eating the instruments. He only cries when we have to put the instruments away or when it gets a little too close to nap time. I look forward to the class each and every week because I get to see how much the boys are changing. When Connor started at six months, he was the most outgoing kid in the class. He would flap his arms and kick his legs to every song. Now he is a little shy around the other children and he wants me to hold him all the time ("up mama!"). We had to have a talk today before class so that I could explain that I cannot always hold him and he would have to walk by himself like a big boy. He actually surprised me and was pretty independent. There was only one crying incident during the "free dance" portion of the class (we danced to Footloose). Luckily the teacher, Ms. Carol, rescued me by dancing with Michael so Tow-ree and I could boogey. At the end of every class, Connor starts to come out of his shell. He even hugs Ms. Carol at the conclusion of the Good-bye song. Then he gets his music stamp on both ends and we walk to the snack bar for a "Cha-cha" milk and some peanut butter crackers. It's really more a distraction so that I can give his brother a bottle but he thinks it's a treat. Connor will be starting summer camp at the JCC in the middle of June. www.weinsteinjcc.org/summer-camps/camp-ganim/