Kindergarten Easter Fun and Henry's debut video

Today was a fun day! Henry and I took a jaunt to Brantley's classroom to help his class dye Easter eggs!  This is very fun for me, because I usually have to arrange my visits to his room around my teaching schedule.  This time, I had to work around Henry's nursing schedule!  But anyway, we had a great morning with Brantley and his friends, and then delivered a McDonald's lunch to Brant as a treat! 

(why won't this photo center??? Anyway, Brantley and Christopher, one of his best buddies!)

Getting started.  Of course, blue was the first color choice!

3 down, 3 to go.  Brantley started multitasking, and dunked 3 at a time! 

My biggest boy and me

After running errands ALL day, Henry had some playmat time to stretch out his little legs.   The video is of the cute noises he's started to make.  And, he's holding up his head for longer and longer periods of time!  Crazy!

Playing the game

Soccer in spring!  This could be any of the games, I know, but I don't want to not document his games! Let's talk about what's different this season.  See how close he is to the ball?  Yep, he's getting lots more touches on the ball. And while he hasn't scored yet, he's passing to his teammates and starting to play the game.  We are proud of our little Phillie and can't believe he's moving up to U-8 soccer next fall!

 

Not sure what this look is, but he's awfully serious!

Some cuteness for your Monday

Here are a few shots from yesterday and today.  Little Henry is growing and has started to fit into a few of the outfits we had for him.  This is the outfit that little Brant picked out for Henry, when we found out we were having a boy.  It's also got a cute jacket with guitars all over it.  Quite cute!  

A doggie band is rockin' out on the shirt

Snoozing good in his crib, after a family dinner out

Don't you just want to kiss him?!

Sometimes you just need your daddy.  Henry had an unsettled night (perhaps my fault from dinner?) and has settled best on his Daddy's shoulder

of course, when Mommy forgets to turn off the flash, you get the stink eye from the baby!

Who is having more fun?

Henry has been awake more this past week (although he still sleeps the majority of the day!) and has started to interact with his surroundings more and more.  He coos, babbles and smiles at us, especially his big brother!  He's also starting to hold his head up, he's getting quite strong!

The boys had a bit of playmat time today, and Henry actually batted at a few animals.  He was quite entertained by his brother as well!

And so I ask you, who do you think is having more fun?

Wildlife Encounters--Wonders of the Rainforest!

Right after Henry's star appearance as Show and Tell today, we attended an assembly in the gym.  I had gotten an email about it and was interested to see it to, so we made plans to stay.  A traveling group, called Wildlife Encounters brought quite a variety of rainforest animals to the school, and gave a great talk about all of them.  Brant sat with his class, so we didn't get to get any photos of him there, but I did get some good animal photos!

The iguana (a baby one)

The coatiundi, who munched on Froot Loops and grapes

"We like to move it, move it!"  King Julian's cousin made an appearance, the baby ring-tailed lemur

Who took entirely too big of bites of banana!

And a non rainforest animal, but one traveling with them, Darth Gator!

Once again, a fun and unique experience for BDS students!  And a great education for the kids as well!
W

A very special show and tell

A day or two after Henry was born Brant asked his Daddy if Henry could come for show and tell.  We decided he should be a little older, but then realized, that for him to be show and tell, I couldn't come into Brant's class before then!  So we had to do it today, as next week there are several events we want to attend. 

Daddy and I brought Henry on his first visit to BDS.  Brant proudly strolled his brother into the classroom, and I carried him to the front of the room.  The kids were so excited, and wanted to see every little bit of Henry.  They were pacified with his toes, though, as we kept him in the carrier, promising when he gets older, that they could see him more. 

Brant didn't have much to say about him, other than what he likes to do with him (rub his soft hair) and that Henry stops crying when Brant holds his hand (he does!) But he was a proud brother and fielded questions like a pro!

Ugh. Full blown teacher mode, can't you tell? 

The back row couldn't seen, so we took a little baby parade around the room!

Henry was a hit, and it was so fun to see the reactions!  Little Henry slept right through it!

Springtime soccer!

Brant had another soccer game on Monday night.  Seeing as we accidentaly missed the game last Tuesday, and then Brant was sickly last Saturday, this was only the second game he's played in.  Daddy was at work, so Grandma, Brant, Henry and I loaded up and managed to be five minutes late to the park that is almost across the street from our house!  This being the Mommy who likes to be 15 minutes early, I was in a less than perfect mood. However, watching Brant enjoy himself on the field, in the beautiful (but warm) spring evening brightened me right up!  

Brant had a great game and, while not getting a goal, got lots of touches on the ball, and great passes!

#5 on the field

Neighbor Austin, who is on the team this season

Henry really wanted to play too, but decided to take a nap instead

Kicking it in

Getting ready to kick off

Cuteness at half-time

Good game, good game, good game.....

Love spring soccer, it feels like summer is right around the corner!

Brothers

A lot of people have given their opinions about the age difference between the boys.  Not that we intended to wait that long, we just turned around and Brant was five!  The naysayers like to comment on how Brant was going to be knocked out of the center of attention and so forth.  Of course, there were positive comments as well, commenting on Brant being helpful and old enough to understand what was going on.  

Needless to say, there was enough discussion about this whenever someone saw I was pregnant, to get me good and nervous about the transition for our family.  

WHY haven't I learned my lesson and just trusted that God would take care of it?  

First of all, it's been really a blessing for Brant to be at the Day school right now. He's still a bit of a celebrity, everyone wanting to know about the baby.  Also, the normalcy of the routine is great for him, and us, as we can grab a nap during the day and not be so tired in the evenings.  As well, I try and take care of all the "stuff" during the day and have dinner started before picking up Brant, so the evening is his time.  Henry even obliges to take a nap during Brant's bedtime, so we can still have our reading time. 

Brant has been wonderful!  He's been super helpful, picking out brother's clothes, getting things for us when we are nursing, checking on the baby when he's asleep.  He's even been a bit concerned when we give him a toy to play with, as we told Brant that Henry can't have stuffed animals in his crib! ( don't worry, I was folding clothes in the same room!).

Brant has been curious about everything, and delighted to find that Henry will stop crying when he holds his hand and talks to him.  And nothing is better than when Henry decides to be awake for a bit, and not go back to sleep after a feeding. 

This morning, Brant FINALLY got to play with Henry on his playmat (thanks Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Mark!). 

Henry spent his obligatory time on his tummy, but greatly enjoyed interacting with his brother afterwards. 

Brant used the rest of the loops we had bought to make a safety gate , so Henry couldn't get through!

Eyes for his big brother

They played for almost an hour like this!  I can only hope there are more peaceful playtimes in our future!But the realistic part of me knows....oh yes...I know...

So, to the naysayers, I can now say, the spacing between the boys wasn't planned,  but as with everything in our life, God is in charge and He knows better than anyone the right fit for our family!

St.Patrick's Day shenanigans

Top o' the mornin' to you!  St. Patrick's Day at our house is a day of green foods, green clothes and leprechauns!  This year was a bit more low key, seeing as Brant had been up sick part of the night and the other part it seemed we were up with Henry.  We missed a soccer game, as Brant was so tired. Not to mention that Daddy has been fighting with his allergies something terrible. Also, Daddy had to work that night, so we had to do our meal at lunch.   But the day was to be celebrated and celebrate we did!

It was a good thing Brant brought some artwork home from school on Friday, as I couldn't find my stash of decorations!
I guess it's no wonder, since I'd not been in the attic for 9 months.

So I improvised.  The napkins, two Irish Tom Clark gnomes and a basket with shamrocks to hold the leprechaun gold Brant found on Friday on their "Leprechaun Hunt" at school.
And check out the cookies! My friend Meredith, who is an awesome baker/cook, left those as a treat for us on our porch!

 Now, let me explain something to you.  Every St. Patrick's day, a leprechaun leaves candy all over the house. That leprechaun gets into cabinets, leaves trails, puts candy in cleats, you name it, wherever a leprechaun can fit, he leaves a candy.  I think that the same leprechaun that left candy at my house growing up came with me to our new house, because it's the same kind of candy!  Got to love those caramel candies with creme centers!

Anyway, not even a sluggish, slightly off start to the day can squelch the fun of finding where the leprechaun was!

Spotting a candy on the windowsill

On top of the faucet!?

As the day progressed we all got dressed in our green.  Brant was sporting the hat the kindergarteners all got on Friday at their party.

In this picture Brant looks just like his Daddy when he was his age!  That grin!

We got Henry's outfit the Sunday before he made his arrival (good thing too, since he came the next night!)  Of course, thinking that he was going to be as big as his brother was, we got the 3 month size.  He's got room to grow in that one!

In his brother's arms, snoozing away.  Brant has sat for almost a whole movie holding him. Brotherly love!

Usually we have corned beef and some sort of cabbage, but we were discussing it and discovered that none of us really LIKE it.  So we moved on to one of our favorite pub meals, bangers and mash.  We were able to find a reasonable substitute for the Cumberland sausages, as Johnsonville put out a "Luck o' the garlic" sausage.  That, with a brown gravy, soda bread and Irish apple cake rounded out our meal. Only thing missing was the beer, as the McSorley's had to wait, big B had to work later that day.

Isn't that shamrock cute?

 Seeing as we were all a bit tired, we spent some time cuddling on the couch. Brant has taken to bringing a book or scooching over next to us when we are nursing, so I've had some good cuddles with my boys.  The funny thing is, this was the first photo with both of them and me.  Mom snapped it, with all of us in St. Patrick's attire!