duey's 3.

we celebrated dylan's 3rd birthday at our home, or rather, in our shop.  we rented a bouncy house and gathered all our cozy coupes, scooters, bikes and trikes and took over ben's spot.  it was perfect.

i see many future birthday celebrations in that space.  

so much, that after the party ended, ben and i were scouring craigslist for bouncy houses to purchase.  yep, just need to pull together 15k or so... but oh - look how much fun was had!  can you imagine how much faster our winters would go if we had this sort of entertainment just a few feet from our back door?

in addition to the bouncy, dylan found a pink piggy piñata.  on Pinterest, i saw a lady filled her piñata with individual gift bags of candy, so everyone gets equal amounts.  i LOVE this idea.  birthday party after birthday party, my shy guy has sat back and watched, rather than jump right in there.  and, can you imagine the tears to follow?  ugh.  so, this worked out great.  (although, isn't it delightful to see something explode with candy-goodness?!)  i guess we'll give him a few years.

everyone took turns, politely waiting in line.  littlest to biggest.  i loved all the poses of these future softball/baseball players; tongues out, teeth bared over lips, wide stance, and the swinging for the fences.  what fun!  jack's already planning the piñata for his birthday...

i'm just now realizing i didn't take a single picture of the cupcakes for our friends!  dang!  they were super cute.  pink piggies, duh.  some snouts, some tails.  and, because she was the birthday girl, she got a jumbo-sized cupcake, full pig.  

she was so tickled that it was HER birthday.  

she even sang to herself.

the grandmas are in heaven.

 so in love with both of these beings.

 this started out sweet, but quickly turned into jack screaming for his life.

paybacks, bud.

after the party, gosh, i think 5-6 hours later (!), we made our way home.  all. the. way. home.  we bounced so long and enjoyed great friends, devoured so many sweet treats, that before we knew it, it was time to say our goodbyes - and we didn't even get to the gifts!

hugs and goodie bags later, we were tucked inside with bedtime right around the corner.  we attempted a family picture, but you'll notice who was not in the mood for cheeeese.
 

 {just a few days earlier, our bully turned 9!}

and to top off a super-fun-filled day, a snowplow cruised by making jackie boy's evening.

birthday girl

my "baby" is 3!  except, i can't even refer to her as that anymore.  as of two weeks ago, she's no longer the baby.  there's a new baby in town.  messing up everyone's placement in our family.  (that's for another post...)  i'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that we are now a family of 5.  FIVE!

dylan june.  our skin-as-white-as-snow, red-headed beauty.  the spitfire.  personality plus.  duey.  pig.  there was a time in those postpartum weeks of bringing her into our home, where i thought, man, what have we done!  jack's world was flipped upside down by this new tiny human.  but, then again, it's hard to imagine that she just wasn't always here... always here tormenting her big brother, teasing her dada, reading stories to herself, hanging off the bulldog and loving on her baby sister.

her squinty-eyed smile is infectious; her cackle of a laugh makes you do your own giggle; and she's just so dang cute, you'll want to snatch her up and plaster her with smooches - i promise!

happiest of birthdays to my little lady!      

OOC.

{aaaaand, once again - a blog i started over a week ago.}  

out of control.  

nesting.

in my defense, i did have 14 days to think.  and plan.  and prepare.  organize and reorganize.  after day four of my freedom, ben uttered:  i don't think i'm going to make it through this nesting period.  it's true.  it's never - I'VE never - been this awful.  demands.  (ir)rational planning.  pregnancy brain.  but you know what, it's not worth arguing over.  it's just easier to have it done my way because it's what makes sense to me now.  ha!  how awful to admit that, see it in writing, but sometimes the truth is tough to handle.

as of the new year, the kiddos had been bunked up, sharing a room.  we only have a three bedroom home, and i figured having them room share was the lesser of evils when thinking of throwing a newborn into the mix.  for the month of january and some of february, it was working.  then things changed - some red head got a little too comfortable and bedtime turned into this atrocious thing.  jb was ready for bed at night, and well, she wasn't.  we'd hear complaints of duey won't stop singing/clapping/talking/stay in her bed, and eventually he'd open the (child-locked) door as in saying get out!  disaster.  he would even fall asleep through all her shenanigans, only to get a foot to the face or a book slammed on his head (once, ok, maybe more).  poor guy!  and with ben doing bed time during my bed rest, he realized how big of an issue it was, too.  so, our first mission after my freedom: separate (problem) kid 2 from (sleepy) kid 1.

our super-coveted bonus room, now houses our 5 year old.  he not only has the biggest "room" in the house, but he also has the best view!  my computer and desk are now in our bedroom, and the tv was brought downstairs to our great room.  dylan has jack's old room, all to herself, and amazingly, bed time is finally a breeze again!  she has time to wind down on her own, and jb (the no-napper) falls asleep within minutes of cheek-to-pillow.  and, my most favorite part about him having his own space???  i get to walk up the stairs and spy on him snoozing!

jackie's new space

all his trucks and trains at his disposal

screen to separate the room, his messy bed with all his favorite lovies

next up, dylan's room.  it still feels so odd to say that.  it's been jack's room for as long as we've lived here.  from baby crib and green & white striped walls, to camo bed & slide to big kid trundle beds... and now, girlie stuff.  even as they were together, i wanted to maintain the boyish room feel - no pinks or purples.        

but now?

it's quite girly.  just like her.  she loves anything pink.  she requests pink-everything.  the bouncy-house we've reserved for her birthday party?  i wanna pink one.  ummm, ok, i'll get dada to get right on that...  

does your toddler insist on having EVERYTHING in their bed?  sometimes, i don't know where she sleeps!  and, just like a toddler, there are those mornings where i find her with nothing in her bed.  always keeping you on your toes, those tiny humans.

i purchased this upcycled side table/magazine rack from a local store in palmer, vintage poppy.  i want everything she creates!  when jack picked out his lamp from target, dylan was quite put out that she couldn't get one, too.  so after our table purchase, we found ourselves back at the bullseye, picking the same stand, different shade for the redhead's room.  notice:  the magazine rack is the perfect storage place for lovies and her collection of books & handbags.

don't you love that picture of our teeny tiny bulldog?  dylan found it in a stack of photos from when i was rifling through our 2007 wedding album.  she grabbed it, squealed and "talked to" beanie like you'd talk to an infant.  i just love that they know how to baby-talk!

baby 3's room!  much to do still, but here's what my big body has done so far.  ok, no.  wait.  here's what dear husband has hung so far.

bullydog love

they really love their bulldog.  there was a time when it was just so hard to squeeze another being into our mix, but she's finally wormed her way back into our hearts.  i remember a time before jack was born, a friend of mine warned me about dogs getting pushed aside once baby came.  i really couldn't imagine - those dogs were ben and i's children!  but.  it happened.

sorry, bean.  we've always loved you, though!    

nowadays, there isn't much time that passes when she isn't inside, cuddled up on the sofa or on the kid's tiny sofas... or nestled on a pile of clean, warm laundry, much to my dismay.  if you happen to find yourself sitting on the sofa, well, she's gonna inch her way over and plop her head on your lap.  or likely, her whole 50-pound body.  as much as we've butted heads throughout our years (always vying for that alpha female role), it's great to now see her take a little beating from the kiddos.  but, oh, she's so patient with them...

bella has always been quite the terror.  she never left the other bulldogs alone.  always the instigator.  always getting everyone else all riled up.  it's funny to see such a shift; she's an old lady now.  we celebrated (ok, not really) her 8th birthday in march.  there's gonna come a time when she leaves us and as much as it's gonna be sad for ben and i, it's likely the kiddos that will take it the hardest.  dylan's been beanie's number one fan for as long as i can remember, tummy time was also bella's favorite time - perfect chance to get at all that tasty drool!  (oh, ick.)  and jack, well, he tells me weekly that bean's my best friend.  i didn't even know he knew such a thing existed!  i love that a pooch has taught him that.

 

bandanas

the other night, they found my colorful stash of bandanas; dylan picked orange, jb wanted the red one "just yike a pirate" he said.  they proceeded to snuggle each other into a wrestle.  they just can't help themselves.  

black blacks & white whites

that was the first lesson i learned from my photog teacher my freshman year in college.  make sure your blacks are black and your whites are pure white.  if you have that, you'll also have all the shades of gray in between.  i've never forgot that lesson.  

one of these days, i'll pull out the negatives of my favorite project from that year...  

homebodies

{this post was started in april.  i can always tell when our weather improves; laundry piles up, dishes don't get loaded, blogs left unfinished.  s'ok though!  on a rainy day & night, i finish all said tasks.  smiley face.}

as much as we're on the move, we also like our down time at home.  the kids will now sit and watch a movie together, which i must say is incredible.  to have 60 maaaybe 90 minutes to myself during the day is invaluable.  jack no longer naps so, yeah...  

jackie didn't have any interest in television (or rather, he didn't have any interest in sitting still) until he was close to 3.  dylan has just now shown a desire to relax and watch a vid.  although, she has her limits.  she'll watch any muppet feature but prefers the wizard of oz version, loves pooh & friends, despicable me, but her favorite of all:  RIO.  i wish you could hear her sing along to the opening song.  

they can fight like an old married couple (that is, if an old married couple steals things from another while the other screams in objection!) but then they can snuggle up, share pillows and blankies, even sneaking smooches here and there.  oh, i'm really gonna hear about this in a few short years...

here is proof that they can be sweet and love on each other.  some nights, i have to look for pictures like these after i've put them to bed.  it's a nice reminder that tomorrow's a new day.

love the one with dylan letting jb suck her thumb!

we stumble upon crafts quite often.  usually the best time for all of us is before dinner.  it's a nice way to distract those hungry bellies and both kids find something to entertain themselves.  i used to keep all our craft supplies in the cupboard above the fridge, but now that jack is big enough to grab what he needs (and what dylan requests), i moved the supplies to a cupboard within his reach.  i still don't understand everything she says, but jack does.  although, it might just be that he says you want this, duey? and she just responds with an excited es!  ben seems to think she still doesn't have a clue, but she'd tell you otherwise.  

she loves to place stickers and does very well getting them off the sticker sheet.  she's even mastered rearranging them all over her paper, without tearing them!  but, crayons?  eats them.  markers?  see below.  paints?  on the face or in the mouth.  this was during one of our pre-dinner craft times.  if only i'd remembered that a watched pot never boils - that way, i would have had an eye on this little one!

still not great with markers.

another fun project was a paintable wooden train set.  don't you just love melissa & doug toys?!  we have most of the food sets, several of the puzzles, dylan even received the super-cute red lace-up shoe for her birthday, so this addition was a great one.  i just wish it would have taken a little longer.  maybe the train could have been larger?  jb loved painting and placing the stickers.  he wanted to do it again! right after it was completed.  dada even got in on the action (paint touch-ups here and there... he couldn't help himself.)  

we break out the little people {and all their glory} once a week.  too much fun, those little people.  and just so you know, jackie is not talking to me here...  

they wanna eat together, play together, and yep, bathe together.  if one's in the bath, the other is sure to be stripping down behind me.  i can't think of a time they've bathed apart since we implemented dueling baths.  it's just easier.  except when it's not.  jack gets too rough or won't stop pouring water over dyl's head.  dylan won't stop splashing or scratching naked jack.  usually, one numbskull is plucked from the 2 inches of water, well before their liking.  but, cleaning up monsoons are not the way i like to spend my evening.  plus, i loathe having more towels than children to dry off; 5 towels for 2 kids?!

soon, the sibling bath time will come to an end; i'm sure much sooner than i'd like.  you want them to stay so wittle, but it is nice how "easy" things are getting.  wait.  what did i just say?  no, i don't mean easy.  i would NEVER describe parenting as easy.  no way.  but, jb's at a great age for helping and being somewhat useful around our house.  it's so great to see the switch of him wanting to do everything himself.  (even though dylan has been doing everything herself for months and months...)

the time really flies by.  it's the one comment you hear by parents said to soon-to-be/new parents.  i heard it until i was like, ya ya, heard it a thousand times.  but, it really is the truth.  i cannot believe jb is going to be 5 this autumn.  i can't believe we already celebrated dyl's second.  

i love these two apart, the time you get with just one, is never enough and is always a joy.  but, when they're together, when they're playing well and really getting along, it's a dream come true.  they're so different, but they're siblings.  they both are very silly.  they both can be naughty, but when they're sweet and snuggling, i can barely contain my emotions.  it's incredible how much your heart can love. 

potatoes by miebs

we breed snugglers.

birthday celebrations for red

birthday cards and packages started filling our post office box a week before her special day.  usually, the envelopes get opened as they come, but this year, i decided to stockpile.  we ended up having a combination of birthday and Easter cards, complete with oodles of stickers, singing cards and hologram images, and oh, yeah - CANDY.

i consumed most of the candy (like i would have it any other way) but i let the kids have their stickers and furry new loveys.  dylan is completely tickled by pooh and piglet and anything else from the 100 acre woods.  so, gramma d totally spoiled her with two poohs: a large pooh, perfect for hugging and a teeny baby pooh, perfect for travel (as gramma d noted).  the problem is, we have a polar bear, a baby, piglet, a small monkey, glo worm & baby violet, two blankies, and now 2 poohs to add to the insanity of dylan's bedtime necessities.  amazingly, she will notice if one lovey is missing or if that one blankie happens to be in the washer.

with her birthday falling mid-week and easter just days after, we had to postpone her {friend} birthday party for a few weeks.  it makes me smile to have so many great friends with their own kiddos just months apart from ours.

we celebrated dylan's 2nd birthday with an ice cream cone/sundae themed party.  where i would normally have a craft for the kiddos to construct, the do-it-yourself sundae was more than enough mind-stimulation for the youngsters.  there were ice cream sprinkles (that keep their crunch!); crushed oreos, m&m's, reese's pieces and animal crackers; cut up bananas; maraschino cherries (with stems!); whipped cream; caramel & chocolate sauce; hot fudge; marshmallow fluff; two different kinds of cones, 3 flavors of tillamook ice cream... 

ohmygoodnessgracious! 

and did i mention we had 3 kinds of pizzas?  if you failed to have fun at this party, it may have been because you were too busy enjoying all the treats!  but i don't think that happened.  seemed like everyone left happy, with treat bags and full tummies.  just a wonderful celebration for a wonderful little lady.    

please pay no attention to the light bulb-shaped brownies

(... they should have been chubby ice cream cones!)

i love this next series.  you know, we're forever telling jb to help his sister.  do this, do that.  it's no wonder we have our little battles.  i'm sure it's quite annoying to be corrected all day long - i grow tired of doing it, for sure!  well, here - he can't help but help her out!  who doesn't like to blow out candles?!  thankfully, dylan was too busy cheering for the birthday song to really notice that someone else had beat her to a wish.  she made her wish second, and after all, that was the birthday we were celebrating.

dylan enjoyed oregon strawberry ice cream with sprinkles, crushed animal crackers & whipped cream.

i will not divulge what or how many toppings went on my sundae...

see?  he just loves to be the boss help.

the gray family

dylan's family

kaylee & dylan

ali

aaaand the party's over.  

happy birthday, you big two year old ♡