Beating the heat

This week we have had some super duper hot weather that we normally only get on the hottest days in summer. On Monday, I hooked up the AC in the window so we could survive, but the hottest room in our house still got up to 98 degrees!!!

So on Tuesday, I decided we needed to get out and cool down. We headed to Grandma's house to go jump in the pool. It was the first time this year that either of them had been in the pool. It took Caityn a while to get reaquainted with the water. Sean got a little scared of the big pool, so Grandma filled up a smaller tub of water for him to splash around in. Way better than sitting in the hot house!

I was trying to take a picture of the two of them sitting on the top step in the pool, but Sean leaped off and started to float away. I think it took him by surprise!

Sean does his sign for "all done!"

Snuggling up on a blanket in front of the TV after a morning of swimming

4th Annual Crawfish Boil

Aunt Kelly and Uncle Brian and friends hosted their 4th annual crawfish boil this weekend. In previous years, the event was held at their place at the beach, but since they just bought a new house, it was held in their backyard this year. Their yard was perfect for such an event. Both Caityn and Sean loved running around the yard and house. Family friend Presley was there to entertain Caityn. I don't think any of the kids actually ate a crawfish, but probably just as well that they didn't. They were SPICY!!!

Caityn and Presley were inseperable...until one of them decided to play hide-and-seek...and they both hid :)

Chef Brent pulls out the dead crawfish while the kids look on.

The Feast!

Party like a Princess!!

On Friday, we celebrated Caityn's birthday with all her little girl friends at a place called It's All About the Girl. All the little princesses had such a great time. Each girl got a "makeover" which included an updo with a princess crown, fingernail polish, lip gloss, and glitter all over the place! Even the little girls who hate having their hair done, much to their mothers' surprise, were in princess heaven. Sean had a good time too!

Happy Birthday Sweet Princess!

Today my baby is turns three years old!! That's not a baby anymore. I can't believe how much she has grown and changed in the past year. At age 2 she was so shy and cried all the time. She clung to me when I dropped her off at preschool, and would hide behind me every time someone new (or even a member of the family) said hello to her. Now she is such a social butterfly, she will talk to, dance for, and show off to anyone. Over this past year, I've watched her slowly move away from the Elmo craze to a new obsession with princesses. What three year old ISN'T into princesses these days? She is so so smart, and continues to amaze me with every new thing she learns.

Today we spent the day shopping with Grandma for a Cinderella dress. She got her fancy new dress and a Belle dress too! Something about Grandma must really wear her out, because she fell asleep on the car ride home. She hasn't done that in ages!

Well...since the nap only lasted for half an hour, the rest of the afternoon was spent practicing cutting with scissors. She's been asking me for a while now to get her a pair of kid-sized scissors, and I just happened to find a pair in my boxes of old teaching supples. This was the end result of her cutting project.

Easter Weekend

On Saturday, I took Caityn and Sean to the neighborhood easter egg hunt that was sponsored by the church where Caityn goes to school. It was nice that they separated the hunt into several different age categories. Both Caityn and Sean were in the 0-2 year old hunt, so Caityn scored quite a few eggs. Sean was just so happy with the one blue egg he found. Caityn was kind enough to help him out by putting a few more in his basket for him.

Getting ready to head out the door with baskets in hand. Caityn is such the supermodel these days!

First visit with the Easter Bunny. Caityn keeps calling him just "Easter". Sean was too terrified to get anywhere near him.

Sean found one blue egg and then he was done searching.

After the hunt...Sean is still proud of his blue egg!

Hanging with some preschool buddies. The mother of the boy on the left told me that her son has a crush on Caityn, because she is "beautiful and shiny"!

On Sunday morning, the kids got to check out what the Easter Bunny left for them in their baskets.

Sean woke up first. He was liking the contents of his basket!

"I got a rainbow pony! And....um...what is this?"

"It's a JUMP ROPE!!!"

Later that evening we went to Grandma's house for Easter dinner. Since it was the only time all of the family could get together, we also celebrated Caityn's birthday. The kids had their THIRD...and final...Easter egg hunt of the year.

Happy Birthday Princess Caityn!!
Sean looking confused during the egg hunt. "Is this what I'm supposed to be finding?"

Caityn, that basket looks pretty full!

Time for presents and birthday cake!
Caityn's first Barbie

There was no crying this year. (She cried year one and two when "Happy Birthday" was sung to her.)

All smiles this year!

Caityn gave Sean a ride in her new sit-n-stand doll stroller.

Spring Break! (Taking a break)

Friday: Grandma visits


On Friday we took a break from our Spring Break adventures and stayed at home. Grandma came over to visit and bring Caityn's birthday present - a new swingset!! We went out to lunch at Souplantation, the only restaurant I will take my kids to. I love that we get our food right away, get seated right away, and get out as soon as we're done eating. And there is so much food to choose from, they are always full when we leave. It doesn't hurt that they also get to eat for free...at least until Thursday when Caityn becomes an expensive three year old!

Okay, so the swingset technically wasn't put together until Saturday when Daddy was home, but the photo fit in here. This was the smallest swingset that we could find to fit in our yard that had the glider swing. She LOVES it!! She can swing on it all by herself.

Later, Caityn and Sean helped Daddy do some work in the front yard. We are clearing out all the old dead grass and putting up a white picket fence, which Caityn is calling the "Castle".

Can you guess who picked out her outfit today?

Sean wasn't really helping, but he sure was having fun doing whatever it was he was doing.

Spring Break! (Music Playdates)

Continuing on our spring break adventures, we attended not one, but TWO music playdates on Wed and Thur.

Wednesday: Playdate with Roman and Eva

Friends Roman and Eva invited us over for a music in the park playdate, but since it had rained the night before, we took the playdate indoors. It's always hard to try and get an organized music playdate going when there are too many fun new toys to play with. Roman did an awesome job sharing all his toys...and his dead bee collection too!

Thursday: Playdate with Flynn and Marisol

We were also invited to attend a playdate to view a new Baby Einstein music video with friends Flynn and Marisol. Again, many new toys to play with, both indoor and out. I think Caityn did actually watch a bit of the video...but only because the bowl of veggie sticks was sitting right in front of the TV.

Eating yet again another cupcake!

Playing with friends outside in the very cool backyard.

Caityn sneaking a taste of some yummy chocolate treats. And yes, Caityn is wearing green eye shadow. It was an incentive for her to use the potty before leaving the house that morning.

For more on that playdate, click here. Thanks Tonya for a fun morning with yummy treats and for the last four adorable photos.