Spring Break Fun

Our spring break wasn't as filled as last year, but we still had so much fun! I worked only 4 hours each day so that I could still get a bit of work done, but then did fun stuff or a cleaning project the rest of the day. 

To kick it off, we went and saw the new Mario Movie. It was our 2nd movie as a full family and it was so much fun. I honestly don't remember how the movie was because I was enjoying seeing how the kids liked the movie so much. Pierce actually paid attention to a good portion of the movie, which is a big win!

We were supposed to have soccer practices, but they got cancelled so we spent those times at some playgrounds nearby. Even though there were some ouchies, we still had so much fun! The kids worked a lot on their skating skills and I'm pretty proud of how quickly they picked up on that.

I also decided I should see if I could find hiking sandals for the kids, but it turns out it's a bit too early to find those in the stores just yet, but then Gwen and Lucy chose hobby shopping coupons this month so I took them to Hobby Lobby to pick out some fun projects (Gwen chose a snake you can paint and Lucy picked out a unicorn you could color with markers and then wipe clean and re-color).

One of the days I decided to take the kids to Jurassic Jungle at Thanksgiving Point. We spent a good hour there and then the kids said they wanted to go to the Curiosity Farms place, so I had Larry get tickets for that and we headed there. It was so fun to do 2 in one day and that it's all covered with our membership.

Friday the kids requested a chillax day so we just stayed home. I did end up doing our Costco list so we could hit that up this weekend. 

Overall, it was more low key, but busy and a lot of fun. I love having these weeks off and have an excuse to have fun with the kids that's not our usual fun.

Easter Excitement

We've had a fun Easter this year. It got moved up and ended up squished in between Pierce's birthday and Spring Break so we did a lot last minute, but I still think we did a good job making it work.

We colored our eggs on Saturday, which is fun. Mom wanted to do a dinner and mentioned doing it early so we still had time to color eggs and I was so confused and then we realized she planned to do the dinner on Saturday, but I told her I figured we'd do it Sunday because that's Easter (and we usually don't have anything to do that night). Sundays are easier to do with Andy and Rachel too, since they are usually so busy on Saturdays.

Sunday morning the kids did their egg hunt, but Pierce slept in (and did NOT want to wake up early, haha) so we let the girls look for eggs and then re-hid some for Pierce to find. He didn't fully want to at first, but then spotted some while eating breakfast and then got excited to start. They got outfits, some fun toys to play with, and lots of yummy candy for their baskets. 

We hung out for a bit and then headed over for dinner. We brought deviled eggs and then they made some pork loin, fruit, and a yummy corn casserole, which I demanded the recipe for because it was surprisingly so delicious. I loved every bite of the food!

Normally we'd do a treat, but we still have Valentine's Day candy and maybe even stuff from Christmas so we really didn't need more treats to just have around. The kids had a ton of fun and that's what matters.

Pierce is Four

I cannot believe my last baby is 4 years old already! I love having my sleep and a bit more freedom, but I miss holding a baby every once in a while, haha. (but now it's ONLY if it's other babies...seriously, I'd cry if I found out we had another one on the way at this point!)

For his birthday, this year, we started on the 27th. Marie was in town so we met up with her to have dinner at Cracker Barrel and then back to her hotel to go swimming (which all the kids were so excited for). The girls slept over at the hotel so we just had Pierce with us after that. The next morning (the 28th) we let him decide how we'd spend the first part of the day. We played some games, Larry had a silly pillow fight with him while I picked up some lunch (he wanted McDonald's chicken nuggets, the only nuggets he'll eat, apparently). After lunch, we went to the big playground across the street and played until it was time to get ready for the party. He loved having it just us and him, especially when we were both holding one of his hands and we'd count "1, 2, 3" and then lift him up into the air.

After that, we went to meet up with Marie and the girls and grab them to head over to Kidstopia. We let everyone play there for 2 hours, but they sure didn't want to leave at that point. Cindy and Olivia met up with us there so the girls were excited to see them (Pierce just wanted to play, he didn't care who was there haha).

We then headed home for pizza, cake, and presents. For the cake, we did a Coldstone ice cream cake. It was...okay. There were lots of different flavors, and the frozen gummies were not my favorite. He seemed to like it, so I guess that's all the matters (sorry family that we gave that cake to though! Lesson learned, don't let the 3 year old pick his own cake flavors). For weeks before his birthday he'd point to EVERYTHING he saw in any store and say "I want that for my birthday" (seriously, sometimes it was toys, sometimes it was a fan or a set of Tupperware or a tent, haha. I think he just liked knowing he could ask for stuff and say it's for his birthday). He had a lot of fun and sure loved opening up all his presents.

For today, his actual birthday day, we did up his table, which he was so excited about. He got more dum dums, Paw Patrol fruit snacks, and the last 2 presents from us (we got him a flex track for his cars, a new swim suit, a couple new outfits, and some more hot dot books). For his breakfast, he chose these zebra cake bars and cheese puffs (he'd been wanting those for so long and was so happy when we got them at the store). It's a weird combo, but it was kind of good together.

He didn't have school today so we had fun and played with him throughout the day, when we could, between work. We did let him have a bit more screen time than we usually allow (which I can see was a bad idea, he has been having a few fits throughout the day, so I do feel guilty about that).

For dinner he wanted pizza and froyo so we ordered pizza to be delivered and then after Gwen's dance and Lucy's soccer we went out for Froyo, which is when we did our "what we love about Pierce" stuff. We also did his measurements, he's almost as tall as the girls were at 5!

Now that he's 4, we get to focus on potty training this summer. He's VERY hesitant about it, though, so I'm dreading it a bit. But we've told him it has to be done, they don't make diapers for 4 year olds, haha.

Happy Birthday Bubbas!

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To Pierce,

I can't believe you are 4. You will always be my baby, but now you're so big and getting so much more independent. Having a boy has been such a learning process for me. In some ways you are a lot like your sisters, but in a lot of ways you are so different. You are VERY head strong and have been since the beginning. You are a big mama's boy, which I love, but you also love to test your boundaries pretty much every day. It still surprises me how picky you are. I think I had an idea that boys are just garbage trucks and will eat anything and everything, but not you. I do love when we find something you like though.

I find it funny you are so against potty training, I'm not sure why it is, but hopefully once we start it you'll take to it quickly. I feel like you might, especially when you are in a room and if we come in you'll tell us to get out because you're pooping (I've read when you want to go to the bathroom in private that's an indicator that you're ready for training). Or when you have a full diaper you'll let us know, then immediately take it off and do your "naked" dance you love to do where you wiggle yourself and smack your own bum, hahahaha!

I love how much you love kitties. You love to smash your face into our cats and rub against them while saying "Oh Charlie cutey kitty" or "oh cute cutey kitty" depending on who you have found. Or how you look through the kitty book and say you want the tiniest ones all the time. Or when you see pictures of kitties at the store (on the pet aisle signs) and talk about wanting one for your birthday.

I love how much you love playing with your sisters, but you also love to play on your own. But once your sisters are at school you are begging me to play with you. It's hard when I work and have to tell you to do it on your own, but I look forward to when I'm done and can play with you more. I also love how much you love playgrounds. You'll pretty much do anything if it means going to a playground. You love to play lava monster at the playgrounds, but you say I'm the good one (dad is always the bad one). 

I can't believe how big you are getting. You were so small when you were born, but got big so quickly. I'll always remember holding you for your naps in the beginning and after a month my arms would be dead. You always want to be held still, so I have to resort to piggy backs. 

You are also doing so good in school. I knew you'd hate it in the beginning, it seems you'd much rather just stay home then go places. But I know you like it now, even though you act like you don't. You always go in so willingly and talk about how good it is afterwards (though you tell Daddy it's not a good day unless I come to pick you up, haha).

I hope you have the best 4th year of life and I look forward to many more birthdays, but please don't grow too fast. You are my last baby and I really don't want you guys getting too big too fast and then I don't have any babies. I love you so much, my bubbas!

Love,

Mom