The cherry tree in my backyard.
It's first Spring with us.

Julia rockin' her $2.99 bigwheel she scored from the thrift store.



She doesn't quiet get how to peddle yet, but she takes it for a good trip down the driveway.

I said it was going to happen soon.





Getting him to say, "Sally says scoot over there" tonight was hilarious.

As soon as I took of my slippers this morning, someone found her way into them



This weekend she has had a chatty explosion.

Since Friday she has said for the first time:
Cheese
Kick
Yummy
Fish
Please
Bite
Up

I think there are a few others we've missed, I'll add those when I remember

It seems no matter where I hide my lipstick, this one finds it.



Beautiful!

Antonio's smile has changed again.
Today dad came home and Antonio somehow saved pulling this tooth until today.




The one right next to it is soon to follow.

Meet Lary





Last weekend out and about, we took a detour to Petco to just look around at all different animals.
I had been thinking about getting Antonio a fish for a while, but didn't quite have the place to put him, until recently.

We checked out all things furry, chirpy and slithery and wound up at the fish area.
Antonio picked out this guy, quite easily the ugliest fish of them all.

He then carefully chose rocks, a plant and a decoration for the fish bowl. Then he said we needed one with a lid, because he was afraid Tigger or Stinky would get him.
So, he picked out a tank with a lid as well.*

Larry is pretty quiet which makes him my favorite pet right now.



*after some further internet research, bettas are jumpers and I'm glad he thought to get a tank with a lid.

It being semi-yuck today wasn't the best day for outside play.

We spent some time going through toys and re-organizing the play area.
Now Julia can see all her things and we added a dress up basket.

After lunch, we painted.
Julia was way more polite than I thought she would be.
She kept on asking for more clean water, and didn't throw anything.
I think she was kept happily busy for at least 45 minutes.



Antonio carefully painted this picture, but one was enough for him and he moved on to play cars.



*Notice the Cool Face has been replaced by Cool Artist face.

I thought I'd take a nice picture of the kids this morning.
It is Saint Patrick's Day and I remembered to find green things for them to wear.

First I tried to have them stand together, but Julia kept running off, and Antonio is too tall.
So, I asked him to kneel next to his sister.



Still she ran.

Then, I thought if they were on the couch, she'd wouldn't be able to run off.



But I guess she doesn't like being touched today.
Antonio looks nice though.

I tried again, but Antonio really says "Say Cheese" when you ask him to say cheese, which means he's talking the entire time I'm trying to take the picture.

Along with "Say Cheese" there's,
"Mommy I'm doing really great being still for the picture, right?"
"Julia isn't being as good as I am, huh Mom?"
"Julia quit trying to get off the couch Mom's trying to take our picture!"




You can imagine he's saying "Happy Saint Patrick's Day!" instead

With Spring arriving and a it raining a bit less, it's time for the kids to be outside!

Julia, though, wants to run off and play with the big kids.
While they're all really nice kids, she's not much of a basketball player, yet.
Plus she has a tendency to want to just run off wherever.

So, with the help of my amazing partner in crime, we have built phase 1 of the Keep Julia Safe & Entertained Project.

I bought a pre-made picket fence gate, but when I got it home, it was about four inches too short. So we made one to span the walkway.



Then it was time for swim lessons, and we had used one of the support boards for the fence part for the gate which would require a trip to Lowe's.

Today, after work and the necessary stop at Lowe's, we pieced together the fence section.



I think this should be long enough for now. Julia isn't interested in the retaining wall edge of the yard.
Well, yet...

After dragging the tricycle down from the loft in the garage.
Then adjusting the seat and handle bars down to the lowest level.
Then finding Antonio's old helmet and adjusting the straps just so.
There still seemed to be a bit of a problem.



Legs are still a bit too short to reach the ground or more than one pedal at a time.

Antonio came up with a plan that was fun for both of them.

I understand weather in March is supposed to be a bit jumbled.
The odd hail storm here, thunder there rainbows and sun over there.

But snow?



In almost the middle of the month?



what's going on here?

After bath, the ferocious Juliasauraus carefully steps along the potentially slippery bathroom floor, then squeals and stops off down the hallway.
All attempts to capture and jammiefye her are thwarted.
She runs around tables, hides under desks and is a complete giggling menace to the household.

This evening we were surprised to find scat traces of the Juliasauraus in our livingroom....




The brother muttered,
"That is the most complete grossest thing I have ever seen!"

as the wild creature stomped away on a path of destruction.

So, you grab the camera, set up the kid and try to get a simple picture of them, oh...standing and looking at you.
I finally gave up after about 30 tries and am happy with this one.




Of course she had company, which may or may not have caused things to go a bit smoother...

This weekend we rented a cabin at Pacific Beach.
The Navy has these great three and four bedroom houses for military and military working for type people.

My mom and dad met us down there, as dad was meeting some of his kite buddies at another beach town nearby.

We had miles and miles of cold sandy beach at our fingertips. Antonio found a fantastic walking stick.
He had the best time flying kites with Grandpa, he's getting pretty good at it.




Julia was tickled at being able to run and run and run and not run out of running room.
And the shells, and sticks and sand and muck. She was in heaven!