Rhett turns 5!

We've got a five year old on our hands! Rhett has been super excited for his birthday, especially since everyone in our family already had birthdays this year and most of his friends are already five. He was definitely ready for his turn! His birthday turned into an entire week of celebrations, and now our house is covered with balloons and new toys--I guess that's a sign of a great birthday.

 We started the day with the summer movie (we left early) and lunch at McDonalds. Then we were off to the Butterfly Pavilion! Rhett had been asking to go for a while. He loved the giant millipede and all the fish. 

 After we picked up Andre from work, we cashed in our coupon at Build a Bear. Of course Rhett got the blue Hot Wheels bear, which he named Rod (like Hot Rod). 

 Birthday treats after dinner at Red Robin with Grammy and Gramps!

Yesterday was Rhett's friend camping-themed party. It was craziness with seven five-year-old boys running around our backyard, but they had a great time playing camping games and playing in the tend. Rhett was in heaven with all of his friends.

Five-year-old Rhett is hilarious, curious, and so smart. He is a great big brother, remembers the most amazing facts, and loves his cars, stuffies, and books. We love you, Rhett!

tessa turns one!

Our baby Tessa is one! It's crazy to think that just a year ago she was a tiny newborn joining our family for the first time. Tessa is a light and the perfect addition to our family. It was been so fun watching her grown over the last year and watching her personality come out.

Her birthday celebrations were simple and included some of her favorite things. 

 Woke up with balloons in her crib! This is turning into our first birthday tradition and is such a fun way to start the day. 

 Books with Rhett and their stuffies. 

 Playing at the library. One of Tessa's favorite activiites on super hot days

 A pizza dinner, followed by opening presents in the backyard.

 On Saturday we had her official One in a Melon party with family. I almost gave up on this cake, but Andre told me to keep going and it turned out great! 

Cutest birthday girl!

 

 Before the cake

 During the cake. Showing off that she is one year old.

The aftermath. She started out pretty calmly, but things quickly moved to throwing cake off the high chair. 

A great week celebrating our sweet baby girl!

Rhett is 4!

It's hard to believe we have a 4 year old on our hands! I know I say it every year, but turning 4 sounds so old. Just one more year until he's 5 and going to kindergarten! Then middle school! Then college! It's a slippery slope.

We tried to let choose as much of his birthday as possible, which ended up being fun for all of us. Treats everywhere! So many toys! It was a great time. 

 Rhett just really wanted to spend his birthday morning cuddling with Tessa and his stuffies, so we did!

 Then it was on to his favorite place--the Children's Museum! We could spend all day in the rocket room.

 You want to know what Rhett is like at 4? This is it. Goofy and lots of fun. We tried a new pizza place for dinner and Rhett loved watching them make our food through the big windows into the kitchen.

 Rhett wanted a DinoTrux cake, but I opted for just a regular dinosaur cake instead. It was still a hit and so easy! We even convinced Rhett that the malt ball "rocks" where actual rocks from the backyard I had covered with chocolate. 

 Then this weekend we went to Andre's work picnic. Rhett did the duck race through the stream but tried to chase after his duck and catch it after he threw it to start the race. He fell into the stream and was soaked, but at least he got first place! The entire thing was hilarious (he loved it more than his face says) and he dried off eventually. 

The picnic was at Belleview Park, which has been on my list for a while. Rhett and Andre rode the train across a real tressle bridge and through a tunnel and loved it.

Rhett at 4 gives us a run for our money with his questions (so many questions!), jokes, and unpredictable behavior. But he is so sweet and gives so many hugs. He loves to cuddle and tells us he loves us multiple times a day. He is crazy smart and loves to read and remember things. He loves his friends, his family, going to church, riding his bike, playing the piano, reading and doing workbooks, playing outside, singing, and being goofy. He gets excited about the  littlest things, and his attitude and laugh are contagious. He is so much fun to be around and we love him a lot!

Rhett is two!

We officially have a two year old over here, which also means Andre and I have survived being parents for two years (what?). Clearly we love birthdays and we love Rhett, so we went all out* with a weekend of celebrations that I may have completely over-scheduled.

* all out=using lots of birthday coupons + free activities + summer reading program prizes, because Rhett is two and we are poor.

We went swimming on Friday and Rhett mastered the toddler water slide and then ate his first ice cream cone like a kitten and then had his favorite little friends (and one special girlfriend) over for a picnic and we didn't take a single picture. But then, this happened...

Pigging out at Noodles & Co., as you do on birthdays

Our house looks like a Thomas & Friends factory these days, but Rhett is in heaven with alllll the trains 

That face! That bike! That helmet! (The thing he is really excited about is the race car helmet, but that's a story for another day)

First bike ride

This is the only picture of the three of us from the whole weekend and we posed in front of our desk? Oh well, just look at that electric blue cake!

At two years old, Rhett is as bubbly and opinionated as he should be. He loves talking, reading, and playing with trains and cars. He soaks up everything and amazes us every day with the things he learns and remembers. We love our big boy!

they say it's your birthday

poor André had to share his birthday with Mother's Day, so there was lots of celebrating going on over here. 

Our weekend was full of:

rainy nights, 

White Collar marathons, 

piano recitals, 

crazy driving conditions, 

birthday freebies (would you expect anything less?), 

too much good food, 

snow, 

beautiful Mother's Day cupcakes, 

family, 

and the Avengers (where our movie blacked out for a few minutes so we scored free movie passes). Not too shabby. 

What wasn't part of our weekend? Studying. Let's hear it for law school summer break. 

And let's hear it for André, the studliest 26-year-old there is!