Winter-Spring 2015

We have stayed pretty busy this late winter season. Gabrielle has dance on Tuesdays and gymnastics on Wednesdays.  We visit grandparents, see friends, do shopping, go to birthday parties, and all sorts of stuff in between.

Gabrielle loves to have sleepovers with me and we do that pretty regularly.  We sleep in my bed, have snacks, stay up late watching TV.  Super fun.

We all went to the new Aquarium over in Detroit.  Gabrielle loved it of course.  There were seahorses, jellyfish, sharks, starfish, coral.....all of her favorites.  Oliver did not appreciate it so much.  He isn't interested in that kind of stuff and he got a little annoyed walking around this big place with a bunch of people (quite bored).  But he did well.  We went to Rainforest Cafe and had a lot of fun.  Gabrielle really liked that too.

We went to a Cat in the Hat event at the library with stories, prizes, snacks, and crafts.  They both love Cat in the Hat right now.

I took both kids to Pruess Pets and they enjoyed that.  Gabrielle got a snail to add to her fish tank, "Treasure" she named her.  

We went swimming as a family at the YMCA.  They both loved it!  Last year Oliver wouldn't go near the water AT ALL.  They had a shallow warm pool that both kids could walk in and Oliver loved it.  He loved playing with balls in the water and even loved to be floated on his back through the water.  Gabrielle knows how to SWIM under water now!!!  All of the sudden I look over and she's underwater swimming across the pool like a little fish!  She did awesome!  Now to learn how to swim above water this summer.

Oliver got his first hair cut/hair trim this winter.  Basically just cutting off some of the extra long tails on the sides of his head.  

I surprised Gabs with Frozen on Ice tickets at the Palace.  I got her up for school and surprised her that she was staying home and we were going to the show!  It was a long drive but a pretty neat show.  She was rather serious about it - but was really into Frozen for the next couple weeks, haha.  She got a $16 snow cone of course which was fabulous.  It is funny watching Gabs sense of reality develop.  She still thinks that is the "real" princesses Anna and Elsa came from "Arendelle" to skate on ice.  That they were "really" singing.  But she knows the butterflies, etc that were skating as part of the show were pretend. 

She got a chemistry coral set for Christmas and had a blast doing it

Coral complete!

Gabs first night of gymnastics after taking almost a year off.  She's not at Twistars and really improving

Sand art is also a fav

Cheap entertainment is the best!!

Making homemade lemonade from scratch

Playing his own game of Uno while the three of us are playing

Loves the square blocks and making towers

Passed out when we brought him in the car from a long day playing at Grandma's

She got mini lego sets for her birthday and she can put them together all by herself following the directions

He is really into pretend cooking right now

Completely in his element....

His first grilled cheese!!!! Made with oil and veggie cheese, dunked in marinara sauce.  He ate every bite!

Age 2

Age 5

Sharing a platter of food.  Their favorite thing to do.

He got innovative and put the potty chair on his hoop.....

AND.....first chocolate cake!  Made by Grandma Jojo.  He loves cake!

Pottery Barn lunchboxes so cute :)

Valentine's day bag from school!

Valentines Day pets from mom and dad.  This was the most attention I could get for a picture while they were watching Curious George.....

Painting Valentine's day crafts

REAL jeans!  Such a big girl.  She picked these out and even wears them sometimes.....

Oliver is becoming interested in puzzles.  Gabrielle can do 100+ piece puzzles by herself.

The alphabet.  I really hope kindergarten can polish her letters next year.  She currently writes them how she insists they are or uses capital/lower case as convenient for her.

Someone got in the flour....

Oliver put together his "choo choo's" track all by himself for the first time!

I don't care what critics say about "girly" lego sets being sexist or whatever.  Gabs loves them and I can pretty much guarantee she wouldn't do any of this stuff if they didn't have girl sets.

Her original castle designed and built all by herself!

He started crossing his arms at me....