I'm so proud of Jack! Since we have been trapped at home this week, I decided to start potty training Jack. We're on day 2 and already doing great. So far this morning he hasn't had any accidents. Plus it doesn't take too long after sitting down for him to go. What a big boy! Here he is singing to his Dora book...

And Max has a new favorite trick - saying no...

This weekend we had a goose come visit us. The kids were very excited to watch it wander around the yard. Mikelle wanted to chase it, but I told her no (geese are mean!). It flew away after about 10 minutes, so not too much goose poop in the yard.

Hope everyone had a great Easter! We took the boys and Mikelle to Newell for the weekend to celebrate with my folks, my grandpa, Violet, my aunt, and two cousins.

Yes, that's Trystin picking his nose. We brought the kids' bikes with us. They had a blast with their new found freedom. They cruised up and down the streets and even over to the park on their own. You gotta love small town life!

While Trystin & Mikelle formed their bicycle gang, Max decided to taste a stick....it didn't taste very good.

Jack thought he would try out the rollerskates. He loved them at first, but then he hit a crack in the sidewalk and biffed it. As you can see, he was not happy about it.So we moved on to the bunny ears. Hop, hop, hop!

Then all the kids got in on the bunny action.

Saturday evening the kids dyed hard boiled eggs. Trystin had a hard time figuring out if you dipped the egg in two different colors, the first dye tainted the second dye, but he almost had it down by the time all the eggs were finished. The kids were going to eat their eggs later that night, but unfortunately we forgot all about them with all the other excitement.

Max took some time to learn how to read. He likes the funnies. Such a ham (Cunning-ham that is!)

Sunday morning the Easter bunny came hopping through the backyard while the kids played at the park. They were very excited to come back and see eggs peeking out of hiding spots. Unfortunately the egg hunt had a rough start, and Mikelle had to get bandaged up before the hunt could resume. Luckily we got back to smiles and good times quickly.

Jack & Max got to stay in Newell 2 extra nights. Grandpa and grandma will be bringing them home Tuesday morning - boy, do we miss our little boys!! The older 2 had school so had to be back. Mikelle got a little homesick, but we were really proud of her (she slept in a bed with no TV!). We've really been enjoying the extra time she has been spending with us.

Happy 2nd Birthday Jack! His actual birthday is Thursday, but we had his party this weekend (I'll be in AZ with Grandma & a couple cousins next weekend). Here are a few highlights...

Time Out!

We taught Jack to say "No, thank you" when he doesn't want something. We've also been starting to put Jack in time out when he gets naughty, and it may be going a little too well....

A couple days ago, Jack and Trystin were not getting along very well. Trystin ignored what Jack was trying to tell him so Jack whacked him with a bat. I put Trystin on the couch and Jack in his naughty spot (the corner by the coat closet). When Jack's minute was up, I told him hitting was wrong and to tell Trystin sorry. Jack looked at me and said, "No, thank you." I told him he had to say sorry or he would get another time out. So he sat back down and stayed there perfectly still and quiet for another minute. When his minute timer went off, he looked at me again and said, "No, thank you." He was NOT going to tell Trystin sorry. So I marched him over to Trystin, and he finally told Trystin sorry, but not willingly...

Last night during bath Jack was not happy about having to get out of the tub (for months, he has been crying about bath time and last night he couldn't get enough!). He started yelling at me, "Not out time. No get out." I told him it was time because Max was already out and needed to get ready for bed. He yelled at me again, so I gave him and stern look and asked if he needed a time out. Jack gave me his best devilish grin and nodded yes. That little poop actually wanted a time out!

Luckily he has been a sweetheart so far today. He came over to my chair, grabbed the phone, and said "Daddy." So we called Dad. When Curtis got on the phone, Jack said "Hi Daddy" several times and then "Bye-bye." A little while later, he heard some thunder and thought it was daddy's truck. I explained that the sound was thunder from the rain. We opened up the front door to watch the rain and listen to all the sounds. He was very excited when a robin landed on the gravel. Jack yelled to it, "Tweet tweet!" Then we sang the "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" song to it. Jack also liked when he could hear the cars and trucks before he saw them. We probably sat it the doorway for a good 15 minutes.

Jack drew his first picture on Thursday! He was sitting at the table doodling away, and I asked if he was drawing a picture. He said, "Daddy and Mommy" and pointed to his creation on the paper. I was so surprised because he had never said what he was drawing before - he just doodled. So I asked him to draw Trystin. He scribbled on the paper a little more in a different spot and said "Tada!" Then I asked him to draw himself. He moved to another spot on the paper, drew some more, and said "Tada!" So I asked him to draw Max. Once again he moved to a separate space on his paper, made some scribbles, and said "There Max!" Later when Curtis came home and looked at his drawing, Jack was able to tell daddy exactly which scribble was who. He has been all about drawing pictures ever since.

Max can cruise! If I stand him at the coffee table, a minute later he has moved to a different edge. I can't turn my back on him for a second, or he is crawling away. Diaper changing is an olympic event at our house - Max is constantly moving so that you work up a sweat trying to keep him still long enough to undress him, take off the diaper, put on a new diaper, and redress him. Half the time, I don't even fully dress him anymore. As Curtis says, if you can dress an octopus, you're ready for Max....

Jack almost broke his nose this morning. Curtis & I were playing Mario Kart on the Wii, and Jack kept trying to sit on my lap. Well, he finally decided my lap was no fun while the game was on, so he tried to hop off. Unfortunately, he hopped nose first into the coffee table. It didn't bleed much, but it is swollen and red. Jack wouldn't let us put ice on it. He did take the Children's Motrin nicely though.

And Max has started pulling up!

At some point, Jack must have seen Curtis or I put on deodorant. So while I was drying my hair this morning, Jack climbed up on the toilet, opened the cabinet, pulled out Curtis' deodorant, and closed the cabinet door (yes, such a gentleman to close the door). Then he took the lid off the deodorant and lifted his shirt. Me, being the crafty mom I am, ran for the camera!

Picture time ended, though, when he decided to taste the deodorant. Note for the future, it doesn't taste very good.