Maxy Doodle

Now onto my favorite little man, Max!

Stats:
Weight- 26 pounds 3 ounces 34%
Height- 33.5 inches 19%
Head- 19.5 inches 74%
Sizes- 2T shirts, 18 month or 24 month pants, shoes 6, diapers (not much longer) 5
Favorite food-Pizza
Favorite color-Blue
Favorite activities- watching movies, reading, dancing, playing outside, helping Mom or Dad, cars or tractors or figurines
Favorite movie: Cars, Horton Hears a Who, Big Hero 6
Favorite book: School bus, tractors, any book really!

Max is our sensitive guy. He gets his feelings hurt easily. He has a soft heart. He has this innate ability to know when someone needs a hug or a pat. He has helped me immensely since losing my dad last month. When he sees I am sad, he will come over and rub me or grab my face and kiss me. He does this with friends at daycare too. He doesn't like seeing people upset. He is so kind. But he hurts easily too.

He also gets annoyed easily. Especially by his sister. I wrote about this in Harper's post. I think his favorite phrase is "No, thank you" or "I don't like it". We hear these phrases a lot when he is upset or annoyed by what is going on around him.

He is not a fan of the big swimming pool but loved it when my sister took him to her neighborhood pool. I don't know what's up there. He kept saying "Max go home now." Ha!

Max is very helpful. He loves to do tasks around the house. Especially clean up time. He may have a bit OCD though. If things are lined up or put away "just so" then he may have a mini meltdown. Not the greatest character trait. We have started ignoring these "OCD flare ups" as well as keep Harper away and it seems to help. 

Max is a reader. Man, this kid. We could easily read 30 books in one sitting. I love to see him enjoy books. He is often found on the couch or in his chair reading books. He will repeat phrases or words that we have read to him. Sometimes even with the funny voices or inflections that we use. 

Max is a bit aggressive. Okay, sometimes more than a bit. He is easily frustrated by others or by objects/toys not working how they should. This results in Max clearly announcing "I bite you" "I pinch you" or "I push you" and then acting on such announcement. It is tiring. We use timeouts. He will sit in timeout for 2 minutes. He has had lots of practice so usually stays until his time is up. Sometimes even places a longer time period on himself. He will say "I am not ready." He knows getting out of timeout requires an apology (usually to Harper) so he will wait until he is ready to fully commit to the "I am sorry." It is hilarious.

He keeps us laughing for sure. He really is a funny dude. The things he says or comes up with are freaking hilarious. I am amazed at his vast vocabulary. He speaks in long sentences now and the stories he tells...ha!

At the doctor's 2 year check up, Dr. C walked in and Max announced, "Hi, Dr. Cattaneo!" I think it shocked Dr. C a bit. He then went on to say "I be 2". 

He is doing a great job on potty training at home. We are holding off to commit fully until they are moved to the next room at daycare in a couple weeks. But he tells us when he needs to go potty, especially at night and is successful (most times) in making it into the potty. Upon completion, he immediately asks for his M&M reward. Big boy pants are in our near future!

Max also loves animals. He has no fear of any kind. He would tackle a goat to give it a hug. He is obsessed with the family of deer that live in the trees at the end of our street. He is always looking for them and doesn't quite understand why they take off running at his charge towards them. Bella is, of course, his number one animal in his life. 

Max is an odd eater. He is a good eater but likes odd combinations of food. He loves red onions...and dip those babies in ketchup and you have made him really happy. Actually anything dipped in ketchup or applesauce is okay by him. Ewww...

Max is struggling with separation anxiety a bit. So sleep is trying. We find ways to tiptoe out of the room without hitting those darn creaks in the floorboard. He wants to rock or "hold you" which I genuinely love. I know when school starts back up and I need to legitimately need to work the next day, it may not be so cute. But I love being loved. And he loves big. He shows how much he loves you but also says it all the time. I just could kiss him all day long. My Prince!

-Lisa-

Princess Harpy Harps

It's been a minute since I devoted a day to blogging. Since it is raining in the city, it canceled our plans to go to the zoo. The kids are at daycare. Even a WIFI outage at my house isn't stopping me, I moved to the Panera down the street. I am determined.

This post is dedicated to my princess. At least that is how she refers to herself now.

Here are the stats:
Weight-25 pounds 3 ounces 42%
Height-33.25 inches 27%
Head-19.25 inches 85%
Sizes-2T or 24 months. Shoes-6. Diapers (hopefully not for long)-5
Favorite food: Noodles
Favorite color: Yellow
Favorite activities: painting, coloring, dancing, taking care of babies, singing
Favorite songs: ABCs, 5 Little Monkeys, Ba Ba Black Sheep, Twinkle Little Star


Harper has always been the lover of the two. She warms up to strangers quickly. She is a great sleeper. She is pretty low maintenance (most times!).

She is quite a diva. Hence, why she is nicknamed Princess. She must have her sunglasses when outside. She rocks them too! One time, I lost the glasses for a short time. She screamed. Loud. It was embarrassing. She also has a very strong opinion on what she wears. I used to be able to just throw clothes on her and go. Now, she knows what she wants to wear and voices this opinion as often as possible. She speaks in Harper's dress code. A code I don't know.
Example:
Harper: Wear the pink shirt.
I grab a pink shirt.
Harper: No I don't like it.
I grab another pink shirt.
Harper: No I don't want it. She screams. Luckily we are in our own home.
I grab another shirt with very little pink on it.
Harper: Okay.
I go to put on said shirt. But she HAS to do it. It becomes a fight to put the shirt on the correct way.

This process is then repeated for shorts, socks, shoes, and hair bow. We are always late. Thanks, Harper!

Harper is not aggressive. However, Harper is VERY passive aggressive. She will give dirty looks to anyone that she questions their directives. Or because she is cranky. But most of her passive aggressive nature is shown through her interactions with Max. Oy!

Harper loves to sing in the car. Max hates it. So when Max asks Harper "Harper, please stop singing." She continues at a louder volume. She will stop when we ask her to. Then she will repeat words that Max says. "Firetruck, firetruck, firetruck." Again this will become louder at the persistence of Max.

At daycare, she is their "favorite". Mostly because she never has to go to timeout. She works well with others. She gives hugs. She has a very quiet indoor voice. We had friends that visited recently and asked if her voice was always this small and quiet. Yep!

Harper is a caretaker. She loves to take care of her baby dolls and even real babies. We had our first close interaction with a real baby, and she loved him!

Harper is very artistic. She loves to draw or paint. She is content sitting at the table to create masterpieces for long periods of time.

Harper LOVES food. She is a slow-eater though. She takes her time. We will sit and wait for her up 20 minutes after everyone else at the table is done and then we urge her away from the food. She likes to people watch and when we are out to eat this is at her detriment.

Harper talks a lot. There isn't much that we can't understand from her (or her brother for that matter.) She can repeat anything...which is dangerous.

She knows when she needs to go potty. But she is actually struggling with the whole potty training process. Maybe she isn't ready. She loves to sit there but nearly afraid to actually go. I thought girls were easier but maybe not. Hoping in the next month, we will be in her big girl panties!

She is shy around animals. She likes them but from a distance. The only animal that she will go up to and hug right away is her doggie, Bella.

She loves the water! She cries when we leave the pool. We got them Puddle Jumpers and I think she would have lived in the pool if we had let her. Which brings me to Harper's temper...it is crazy! She will throw the WORST temper tantrums. She will squeal a high pitched squeal and kick. Oh, she can kick. I know because I have carried her away from activities literally kicking and screaming. Buckling into her car seat is becoming more and more difficult as well. She will arch her back and refuse to sit down. We are getting really good a bribery and she is getting really good at manipulating us. Win-win!

I am so glad we have this spunky princess in our lives. She is just wonderful! Her snuggles and kisses make me melt. Her sweet, non-judgmental words make my day. (I have gained weight and in my tankini bathing suit she said "Mommy is a pretty Princess".)


-Lisa-

"The Kids" in Pictures

I didn't want to add all of these extra pictures to the birthday post. So, I will leave all of this here. If you are friends with me on Facebook, it is all repeats.

Watching Mr. Stinky Feet!

Don't they look thrilled?!

New trikes from Nonnie!

At the Dr for 2 year checkups

New GIANT addition to our backyard

I had no idea I bought trick candles! They tried blowing these things out MANY times. 

They do love each other!

But also march to the beat of their OWN drum

Happy 4th!

Our 1st Chuck E Cheese visit

Mamaw and Papaw's pool

Train ride

All of their birthday loot!

Their 1st Build a Bear visit. Holy crap those bears are expensive!

I always make a year in review video. This one tells the story of Max and Harper's 2nd year. I love it so much!

More to come....

-Lisa-

1 Farm + Two special 2 year olds + Great friends and family + a HOT day = Max and Harper's Birthday Party

Long title? Check.
Late birthday post? Check.

Last Saturday my "babies" turned T-W-O! I am still shocked at how fast time is going. I am hopefully going to get individual update posts on each of them done today or tomorrow. For now, here is their birthday party post.

We did a farm themed birthday. I got their invitations from Justalittlesparkle on Etsy. They were adorable! She did great. She has lots of other amazing designs as well.

I also got their birthday outfits from different shops on Etsy. I ordered iron on decals of a cow and pig for their shirts from Scrapendipity Designs. I ordered Harper's skirt from Giggles And Grins Again and they customized the bandana skirt for me and even threw in a hairbow for free. She was delightful. I have never really had bad dealings with Etsy.

We had their party on their actual birthday. It was SO unbelievably hot and humid. But we all had a good time. There is this fantastic children's farm in a suburb of Kansas City on the Kansas side. Deanna Rose Farmstead is a fantastic place to visit, which we love doing, but an even greater place for a birthday party. They have a lot of different animals, activities, and luckily shaded birthday corrals and misters.

Each kid could do some of the activities like feeding bottles to goats, riding ponies, mining for gold, fishing, wagon rides, and hand feeding many other animals.

When everyone arrived at our "Pig Pen", we gave them tickets to activities and a map of the place. We asked all party guests to meet us back at the Pen for birthday cupcakes and gifts.

It was also great to have a way to lock in my crazy kids. 

As far as decorations went, I bought them! I made some last year and just didn't want to waste the time doing it this year. So, thanks to Hobby Lobby for the banner, table cloths, and bandana cupcake wrappers!

I did, however, make their cupcakes. I am not the decorating kind. I love baking. As an artist of any kind, I suck. Awhile back when I decided on the farm theme, I was searching Pinterest while sitting in my dad's hospital room. I found this picture of farm animal cupcakes and thought "Heck, I can do that." My dad agreed. So, I set out to make these cupcakes. Jeremy kept wondering if we would be able to do one of those Pinterest fail pictures. But they didn't turn out bad. Now, after being in the hot heat, some of them were melting...but they were still pretty darn cute!

My inspiration in the center. My creations around. 

My mom loaned me a few of Dad's bandanas to serve as decoration.
I loved that Dad was a part of the celebration. 

Max and Harper were troopers. No breakdowns from being tired and missing a good nap. I don't know why I insist that birthday parties be right in their nap time. Next year, I will be smarter. They loved seeing the animals and playing with friends.

Max loves feeding the goats, Harper prefers to feed them outside the fence. 

One of my favorite things was seeing Max and Harper hand deliver their favor "barns" to their friends. I got the favor boxes from Oriental Trading Co. I also got the farm animal stickers and suckers from there as well. I got the farm animal figurines from Target, as well as the snacks. I made the rice krispie treat haybales. They turned out really cute. 

Overall, it was a great day. I can't believe these two precious kids are TWO. They are just the absolute best. I can't wait to gush on them more in later posts.

-Lisa-