7 months late: better late than never, right?

 

 

We are back!! 2012 Pictures with Santa......

 

It hit me tonight as I sat down with mommy juice at a Junior League happy hour. It has been too long since I have blogged. I used to be ole faithful. My friend and fellow blogger, Beth, and I joked that it is more busy now that the kids are " older". How can that be?

 

Sorry supporters, but you have missed some great times!!!

 

Because I am old and my memory is shot, I will have to consolidate it to a Top 10 things that you missed while I wasn't blogging.

 

10.  The boy's 4th birthday party. It was so much fun! I am not sure what was more fun...the cupcake (Tay) & dragon (Turn) pinyatas, the elephant jump castle (Tay's request) and the Arts and Crafts Table (Turn).

 

9. Turner and Taylor continue to be obsessed with animals . They know them all. Literally. Bet half of you don't know what a Quetzel is. Don't feel bad, but I didn't either. I learned quite quickly after the teacher at school insisted that the "parrot" in the picture was really a Quetzel after turner corrected her. After being bothered by it (because she knows his love for animals), she looked it up over her lunch break and found out, turner was right.  Only Turner would recognize it by it's long tail.

 

8. Many wonderful long weekends in Charlotte to spend time with our loved ones.

 

7. Boat trips to the Aquarium, after school trips to the Children's Museum, bike rides through the County Parks, playdates with Lela & Meddin (our twin girlfriends), Kate, Noelle, Calvert, Davis, Easton & Gunner....we are on the go!!

 

6. Potty training complete except pull up's at night!!

 

5. Bike riding with two wheels. Thank goodness for those strider bikes ! We skipped dealing with the training wheels.

 

4. Taylor has his first real crush. Kate, our neighbor and my friend Jenny's daughter, is the reason. She is precious. Sweet and sassy like a little girl. Tay loves her. Talks about her all of the time, finds toys and says :" lets get this for Kate", ignores her when she comes over...Lawd, it has begun!!!

 

3. Halloween 2012-- The first real Halloween where they got the idea of trick or treating. Many doorbells rang multiple times, many "no thank you" when they were given a not liked piece of candy and a whole neighborhood covered by one little dragon (Turner) and one little one eyed monster (Taylor). Biking with their costumes occurred every day for two weeks prior to the big day.

 

2. The boy's first slumber parties!! Their best bud at school had a death in the family so we were asked to have Andrew stay with us for 3 days. The boys welcomed Andrew the first day as if he was their triplet. By day 3, we were all tired, moody and ready to be a twin again. Thank goodness I am a twin mommy!!! Two and done.....

 

1. Turner loves to sit inside and read books or do art. Obsessed over art!! Taylor loves to be out busy. He loves to run errands, help you in the yard, help me cook. One dayTay and daddy were going to the store. Daddy asked me what I needed from Walmart. Tay then added, " mommy, you need a glass of wine?" Sweet kid!

 

 

May Randoms

These boys are keeping us so busy, that blogging has gone by the waysides!! They continue to crack us up with the things they say.

We are still potty training. Beginning to think this might be my lifetime hobby. Taylor will pee all day , anytime, anyplace and loves his big boy underwear, but refuses to poop on the potty. Turner can pee and poop on the potty but is too busy being studious to stop and do it.

Taylor still loves to be outside. He loves to ride his "big boy pink bike" without training wheels. We are loving night time rides with him. He loves the ladies and we witnessed his first crush on a little girl at the pool. He will try to eat most things, although continues to be our junkfood-aholic!!!

Turner is still studying for his GED. He knows all of his letters and knows the first letter of the word for many animals. He asks every day " what does that start with". This kid likes to learn as he is always telling us " I LOVE LETTERS".  He loves chicken nuggets, fruit, turkey pepperoni and gummies.

 T and T playing with maps while on the trampoline.

 Taylor walking our friend's dog, Bella. Bella stayed with us and Taylor was in love. Turner chimed " Mommy, I miss Guinnnie and Jack". Taylor replied, " I don't. We got Bella. "

 Bella was taken out every other hour at the bare minimum. Taylor walked her, called her name, played with her, hugged her and prided himself in making the proper introductions to all of our neighbors like she was here to stay!!

 Taylor putting Bella in the cage as we headed out.

Taylor requesting a hug from Bella. We have promised a dog once we are completely daytime potty trained with no accidents!!!

Dragonboat Races

Aunt Beth was in the race so we had to get out and support her. Slade boys were having a rough day. I really can't blame them. Poor guys! It was like 100 degrees this day and we were feeling land locked.  Less than one hour there....but sure had some fun once we got through with the fussing!!

 T and T running WILD. They spent about 30 minutes playing with the flamingos!

Another 30 was spent eating. Ice cream, lemonade, then requests for "TACO BELL".  The heat melted the treats quicker than they could eat them.  Love the "frustrated Turner" look.

Happy Mother's Day to me!!

Mother's Day at Sunset was the perfect present. (Besides my fabulous garden filled with tomatoes, blueberries, peppers, and squash that Ben made for me!!!)

 Taylor enjoying a "bucket hat" while watching a movie.

 T and T spending some one-on-one with Gan.

 Playtime in Boo & Gan's bathtub!

 Taylor loving being outside with Gan. Two peas in a pod. Literally.

 Like grandaddy, like grandson. Look at these two glued to the tv!!!

Turner: Mr. Cool Cat himself !!

St. Augustine's Alligator Farm

You know the Slade boys, no trip to Florida would be complete without a trip to see some animals! The St. Augustine Alligator Farm was beyond amazing!!

 Daddy and Taylor enjoy the " show".

 Lauren and Will getting a ride around the park.

 Daddy providing lunch for the entrance gator!

 The crocs waiting to be fed. " Cocoa Puffs" as the boys called the food.

 T and T loving the vultures!

T and T getting a ride from an ole tortoise.

March Highlights

What a great age! The boys are exactly 3 and a half. They say and do the funniest things. Their favorite phrases are about going potty and their request to be bribed for pooping and peeing. A day doesn't go by that we don't hear " when I go poopy on the potty, you will get me a ......"

(per their teachers at school.....)

Turner posed with the Easter Bunny and loved him. He kept ramming his animal in his face and squeling with excitement. Meanwhile, Taylor Cried and held on to Ben's leg.

Turner still loves his monkeys, while taylor just likes to sleep. We have to demand them to wear clothes to bed. They ask nightly to go in their diaper only. Turner likes to take all of the clothes off FIRST upon arrival home. He is like the neighborhood streaker!

Taylor loves to be his daddy's right hand man. Running errands, helping daddy in the yard and boat.....he is always asking, " can I go daddy?"

Good reason for asking too! Treats are usually involved so you can't blame him! (He wears his big boy underwear proudly with few accidents. If we could only get him to poop in the potty. He brings us a diaper and cries for a diaper. He will agree to sit on the potty and read a abook, but not sit still long enough to pee. Advice anyone?)

SSI

We hit SSI on another great weather weekend! It was 80 in mid March and all the cousins were around, thus we had one fabulous weekend!!!

Jack, Ella, Turner and Elizabeth (holding Taylor) getting ready for the pool!

Pooltime!!! The boys splashed around in the frigid pool, pretending to be every sea creature known to man. Thank goodness it was only 1 foot, so mommy could pass on it!

Mommy and Daddy went out to dinner with friends and returned to find this site. The babysitters, Anna and Ella, couldn't get the boys to our bedroom. Taylor zonked out early, but Turner refused to "take a nap" until shortly before 10, when he finally crashed. You wouldn't think the library's carpet would be the most cozy, but they didn't seem to mind.

Park with Davis

It was a beautiful spring day so we decided to hit the park with our buddy, Davis! Alhambra Park is under the shade of big ole trees and across the street from the Charleston Harbor, so there is a breeze most days.

The boys "making cakes" in the sandbox.

Mr. Serious refusing to smile for the camera.

Taylor and Davis making cakes out of woodchips. I swear Taylor is going to be a chef! Or maybe just marry a good ole Southern Junior League lady like me and be the taster!

The boys working hard at moving their animals around and around on this big ole circle.

Party time at SEWE

Southeastern Wildlife Time!!! Our favorite time of the year because we can spend the day with the animals!!

Turner making his own hat and having the time of his life with the details.

Turner agreed to ride on the pony, but only because he say brother's excitement! Can't blame him. We tried to ride on a camel, but the stubborn ole thing just stood there. After much coaxing and his obvious disapproval of giving the boys and I a ride, we decided sitting on a camel was good enough.

Taylor loving the "horsey ride".

February Updates

Yes, I am finally blogging after months of being MIA. We are finding that videos are being filmed more than pictures because they are hilarious! They say the funniest things.

February was a busy month with many visitors, outings & playdates.

Taylor loving the big fire truck at the Fire Museum

Sweet Taylor sleeping in his big boy underwear. How precious he is.

Turner reading his own story before bedtime. He still loves to read and knows most of his alphabet letters. Funny thing though. He only likes me to read "one book" at bedtime.

Formal naps are coming more of a challenge. Turner still needs it while Taylor can hang pretty well without one. Napping in the car between places is more the norm if we are not careful. We try to encourage a real nap in bed either Saturday or Sunday to avoid over-tired little boys on Monday. Taylor snoozing hard!

Turner fought a nap, but decided to rest his eyes during a movie. I knew it would get him sleeping!!

Playdate with the BUNKO girls and kids to Pirate Park and Hubee Dees. Of course, the Slade boys figured out how to use a chair to climb high for some basketball. Gotta watch those kids like a hawk!!

Chickfilia and Tent Day with the Berlinsky Girls. Daddy bought a 6 man tent because he is dying for us to go camping. We have been pitching it in the back yard and having picnics, playdates and afternoon activities to get them used to it. In mommy's opinion, we still have a long way to go before they will sleep in it.

Playing in our Pine Straw House with their animals

You could hear the laughter and piercing happy screams from inside. Great idea, Daddy!! The best money we ever spent!

Of course, then it became " an animal hospital".

T and T are worn out. Cute boys always start on their own sides of the bed, but always end up cuddled up together in their queen bed.

Visits to the library is our weekly ritual. They love it. We take an animal, choose books, find an empty corner and just read!!

CIRCUS!

The circus came to town, so we had to go! Yes, it was during " naptime", but well worth it!!

T and T posing in front of the chickfilia cow....big excitement there!!

Our dear friends and neighbors....Stephen, Lori, Easton and Gunner!

Daddy and Taylor watching the show as Taylor hugs his tiger tightly. This was after the lemonade, popcorn, ice cream, chickfilia sandwich and fries to occupy this busy bee!!! Oh, and after he stripped down at the entrance to go pee on a bush in front of the police.

Turner loved it! But loved holding his own umbrella the most!!!

Taylor falling close behind. Not pictured: soaking wet mommy and daddy!