Cooper turns 3

With the kids birthdays back to back its a couple weeks of non stop birthday fun around here :) Coops went on 2 weeks after his sister and followed her lead to keep on growing up despite my protests. Although to be completely honest 2 was not Coopers best age, I started to see a change a couple of months ago and I think 3 is going to be awesome. I just love where he is right now and Im trying to hard to take it all in and document as much as possible

For his birthday he wanted a construction party - shocker ;) So we had a hammer and nails station, a rock pit with dump trucks, a wrecking ball and a pretty awesome cake if I do say so myself

He is at the perfect balance of independence and ability to communicate and still sweet innocent babyhood.

He loves all things construction, tools, all vehicles. I keep waiting for a new phase or interest to peak but this one seems to be here for the long haul. He does also love animals, especially ocean animals, jumping on the trampoline, swimming, playing in the hose, and has started getting into puzzles. And the little boy toilet humor has came, everything is toot something another

Some of my favorite things he says are
who-body when he is asking who has done something - "who body is coming over today?"
fider - for spider
 shisher- sister, what he calls Charlotte 99% of the time
and he uses phrases that he has picked up from us for sister like today he told me it was going to take "an eternity" to make lunch/ when I told him we are going to get fro-yo he told me "oh mama Ive been waiting for this all day" despite the fact that I hadnt mentioned it yet/ and lots of "oh my goodness!!!"

He is a picker eater than sister but still solid, he loves cantelope, watermelon and strawberries, meatballs, pasta, and almond butter sandwiches.

He is much more independent than 6 months ago but is still a snuggle bug and would pick my hip to hang out rather than anywhere else. He is most comfortable at home and is very thoughtful and careful with his play, building something or working on a puzzle. He is so much better and remaining calm when he is upset and communicating and working through a problem.

I just love this baby brother so much and I cant wait to watch him rock being 3

xoxo
Ashlea

Charlotte turns 5

Charlotte turned the corner from little kid to big kid and turned 5 years old. As with all birthdays, its hard to believe another year has come and gone and this is a big one. She starts kindergarten in the fall, is so independent and looking more like a kid and less like my baby.

We switched it up this year and had a small handful of good friends over (sans parents!) for a trip out to indoor play place, make your own pizzas at home followed by a rainbow cake and sleep over with those sweet girls.

At 5 Charlotte loves art - painting, gluing, collage-ing, coloring - you name it, she loves it. She has a area in the playroom for all of her supplies and a few times a week she will make me a special creation and bring it to me with the biggest smile on her face, so proud of her work.

She also loves reading and has gotten the hang of it so quickly- par for the course. She reads anything she can - signs, books, food boxes, texts on my phone. She reads one of her bedtime stories now, usually one of her early reader books.

She is so brave and loves being outside and trying new things. This summer she has become a trampoline queen, perfected pumping her legs on the swing, tried water skiing and has 100 ways of jumping into the pool. She is a good swimmer and uses her float about half the time.

She is still the sweetest sister, not that they dont fight because they do. But most of the time she looks out for him, explains things to him, shares with him. She is the same with all the little ones we are friends with, she loves little ones <3

She is still a great eater and will try anything. Her favorites are spring rolls from the Vietnamese restaurant, pizza, mexican rice and beans, and Dadi's aloo puri (Indian potatoes and puri bread). Along with her international palette she is a great adventurer and traveler. She was in heaven in Mexico and asks all the time where our next trip will be.

Ill end with some of my favorite pictures of my favorite girl from this past year <3

Here is to another year of loving this happy, funny, smart as a whip, adventure loving girl!

xoxo
Ashlea

outside!

The weather finally broke from the chilly rain we had pretty much all April and we have been enjoying sunshine and warmer temperatures. Hiking, playing the sprinkler, walks around the neighborhood, bike rides, scooter rides and Coopers Tinkergerden class have all been part of the outside fun this past month. We even had a day warm enough for the kids to take the first pool swim of the summer :)

I made our summer bucket list and firmed up our June and July plans and Im feeling ready for summer and all the outdoor fun and freedom it brings!

xoxo
Ashlea