kindergarten!

We have a kindergartener in our house! It's crazy and exciting all at the same time. After three days, Rhett is a very experienced kindergartener. He loves everything about school and can't wait to go every day. He loves his teacher, recess, art projects, reading, and going to music class. We can't wait to see all the great things Rhett does this year!

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!

End of the Schoolyear

Preschool came and went. And just like that, it's summertime! Spring is one of my favorite times of year, and this year was no exception. We got in on all the end of the year action and can now relax (ha!), explore, and play all summer long!

Rhett's teacher sent this picture of him presenting the globe he made to the class. I'm dying at the hand expressions--it's just so Rhett!

Field Day! Soaking their brave teacher with cups of water

First day of Pre-K vs the last day. Look how much this boy has grown this year!

Ice cream on the last day of school!

Pre-K graduation was a little traumatic for Rhett. He didn't want to sing in front of everyone, and once I finally got him to stand with his class, this was as good as it got. 

 With his awesome teacher, Ms Lisa. And look at those child-size caps and gowns!

 We took a family trip to Elitch's on Andre's days off between jobs. Rhett was a solo rider on the swings and loved it. 

 He ended up riding one of the kids rides with a girl he didn't know and they became best friends. They ran around the park holding hands and going on all the rides together. 

Bike rides and runs around the park! Rhett showed off some serious skills at the skate park. 

 Tessa being cute. I'm loving our afternoons in the backyard. 

Rhett's (and my) favorite new quiet time activity: audio book devices from the library. He's just like Dad, blue headphones and all. It's so funny to hear him cracking up to himself as he listens to Judy Moody

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!

the things that rhett says

Having a three-year-old definitely makes things interesting. Rhett always makes us laugh, but as his personality and smarts grow, he has us in stitches on a regular basis. Some of his recent gems that I don't want to forget:

"I wish it was Christmas"
Me too, Rhett. Me too.

"Thank you for the sick people"
Rhett made a chart in primary of things to pray for but didn't break it down into thank yous and please bless. He thanked God for sick people for days and André and I lost it every time.

"My fever is gone, but my cough is still there."
Repeatedly, when asked if he was feeling better. Doctor in training?

"Does Baby like cereal? Does Baby like noodles?"
Rhett constantly asks is the baby likes different foods, especially whatever we're eating at the moment. If he's feeling feisty, he'll ask about something he knows I can't have, like "Does Baby like hot dogs?" My favorite so far was when we were on a walk and Rhett asked "Does Baby like seeing squirrels?"

"Does Cupid poop in his diaper?"

"We looked for crystal treasures outside at preschool today. I found 15!"

Rhett loves everything about primary. I got a report from the music leader that when he gets chosen to be a helper, he jumps out of his chair, fist pumps, and says, "yes!"

"Maybe we can be buddies forever"
To an older girl at the park. It was pure joy when they reunited at the library a few hours later.

Just a little Alfalfa getting ready for church

day out with thomas

"This is our Disneyland," I said to Andre as we looked at the crowd of Thomas-clad toddlers. We are definitely smack dab in the middle of the target demographic, and boy, did they see us coming!

A few months ago we (rather impulsively) bought tickets to Day Out with Thomas, and we were pumped when the day actually arrived. There's something thrilling about keeping a secret from your kid. We gave Rhett a new Thomas shirt in the morning and told him he would get to meet Thomas. Jubilation. 

The place was a little boy's dream. The railroad museum is awesome on its own, but adding Thomas took it to another level. We went on a 20-minute train ride with Thomas and loved every second, especially when the conductor came to punch our tickets.

We also met Sir Topham Hatt (at Knapford Station!), watched the indoor model train and the outside garden trains, had a Thomas singalong, did some crafts, and played in a tent fullll of Thomas train tables. 

We left unscathed until the huge merch tent at the end, but we escaped with our free scavenger hunt prize, a tantrum, and nothing else. 

Perfect for a 3 year old and so much fun!

first day of preschool

I spent a lot of time thinking about preschool for Rhett and trying to justify it. After all, he just turned 3, he has years of school ahead of him, it's expensive, etc. But I knew preschool would be so good for Rhett--he is smart and curious and social and loves adults in authority who aren't his parents. He needed preschool. I didn't want to spend $1,000 or drive all over town, but we lucked out with the cutest church preschool 2 minutes from our house with great teachers and small class sizes. I was sold!

I even got to take Rhett school supplies shopping, which was a dream come true for me. To no surprise, he loved it--it's in his genes.

We drive past the school almost every day, and Rhett has been announcing it as his school for months. After the open house last week, he asked every day if he could go to school that day. Well, baby boy, the big day arrived!

Yep, I went all in with a new school outfit and pictures. I'm that mom. 

Rhett was a total champ. He walked in, hung up his backpack, and found his name apple all on his own. This kid is meant for preschool. And at the end of the morning, he and his teacher only had glowing things to say about the day.

So bring on show and tell, spotlight posters, and school art shows! Crazy that Rhett is in school, but we are so excited for this next phase! 

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!

photos by rhett

Rhett's newest obsession is stealing our phones (no matter where they are hidden) and either pretending to call Nana and Poppy or walking around with the camera turned on saying "Cheese". He's a natural with an iPhone camera--here are a few of his recent masterpieces. Clearly he has a gift.

rhett's surgery

(this post is for posterity, not to garner sympathy. and who knows, maybe someone googling "one-year-old dermoid cyst surgery" will find this helpful).

Our one-year-old is a plastic surgery champ! Rhett was born with a dermoid cyst in his right eyebrow. It grew but wasn't painful or really dangerous to him, but there was a risk it could get inflamed if he hit his head (which is basically inevitable for a toddler boy). Plus, strangers everywhere liked to comment on how he must have bumped his head, poor baby.

See? a cyst on his eyebrow

After months of meeting with doctors and specialists and our favorite Dr. John (it sure comes in handy to have a brother-in-law who is a pediatric ophthalmologist and first pointed our Rhett's cyst), Rhett finally had surgery on Tuesday. It was a pretty simple out-patient procedure and only took about two hours in the OR, but Rhett still had to get full anesthesia. He did great and the nurses said he was her favorite patient. The doctor showed me pictures of the cyst afterwards, and it was way bigger than anyone thought it would be, about 1x2 centimeters.

Pre-surgery with his stuffed animal friends. Rhett was a model patient!

A five-hour nap after we came home and he was good to go. His eye--not so much. The day after surgery his eye was swollen almost all the way closed, so he was a little wobbly in his walking. We went to story time and ran some errands and got lots of stares, but no one asked what happened. People of Colorado: my baby had surgery. I'm not a bad mom who pushed him down the stairs.

Evening of surgery day. Isn't this just the saddest face you've ever seen?

The morning after, when all he had to look through in his right was a little slit or nothing at all.

Now, five days later, the swelling has gone down a lot, but the bruising has picked up and the stitches are still there. I would post a picture, every picture I've taken in the last few days ends up as the back of Rhett's head. But trust me when I say that the doctor has everything is progressing nicely and he should be back to his adorable self in no time!

Rhett meets Washington

Rhett and I spent a heavenly week with my parents in Washington last week. André was grown up and had to stay and work, but Rhett and I got to play and I loved introducing him to all of my favorite Washington things. That kid is PNW natural.

 We went to Farrel McWirter Park so Rhett could see all the animals. He was obsessed, but now thinks every animal is a dog.

Rhett also got to experience all the glory of a Seattle summer with trips to the park (hello pine trees!), the lake, Rattlesnake Lake and the Farmer's Market

We saw so much family and Rhett finally got to meet his Great Grandma and Grandpa Treasure. They were smitten with each other, obviously. 

We loved taking a little break to hang out with my parents and just relax. Thanks for a great trip, Mom and Dad! 

to the Springs we go!

Before André starts his fancy internship next week, we decided to take full advantage of the family time. Ever since I saw pictures of Garden of the Gods, it's been at the top of my Colorado bucket list. And with the Olympic Training Center just a few miles away, it was set--to Colorado Springs we went!

Garden of the Gods was as magical as I imagined. We picnicked, we drove the loop, and we did a few hikes. Our favorite was definitely Siamese Twins with a gorgeous view of Pike's Peak through the rocks. And André carried Rhett the whole way like a champ...turns out that kid is quite the chunk.

From there we headed to the Olympic Training Center, where André and I could completely geek out. Seriously, the montage movie of Olympic moments at the beginning of the tour gave me chills (Meryl+Charlie 4eva). We got to see training facilities that have been graced by nearly all of the USA's best athletes. Michael Phelps, I see you! I was also irrationally starstruck when we saw John Orazco training in the gymnastics room, but whatever. Olympics are the best!

 After a (questionable) dinner out, we hit the road and were home in time for Rhett's bedtime. A successful day trip full of adventure and exploration!